


Legend's Faded Storyline

by Lusksinger



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, D&D, Depression, Dragons, Dwarves, Elves, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Grief, Humans, Loss, Love, M/M, Multi, Ocean, Other, Silver dragon, Wood Elves, sea dragon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:42:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 99,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28531647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lusksinger/pseuds/Lusksinger
Summary: The story of the silver dragon, Lorelei, and those he loves most.
Relationships: Felicie & Sascha, Florian & Cerise, Lorelei & Sascha, Magni & Gabriel, Sabine & Sebastian
Kudos: 2





	1. Part One

Lorelei was shy in his youth. As a very young dragon, he watched the dwarves below his peak with wide-eyed wonder. He loved listening in at nighttime gatherings in the pub where the mountainside glittered like gold with lantern light and bobbing his scaly head to drunken melodies gently playing out of the bars below. During the day even their work sounded like music to him. The smashing of hammers, the swift crack of axes against felled trees, the laughter of playing children -- they all formed a song for their lives. Lorelei was riveted watching them and longed to be among them. He often stood at the rocky edge of his cliff and considered bounding down to greet them, but always hesitated. What if they didn't like him? What if they thought a dragon was scary? With his tail curled tightly against his body, he'd always resign himself to flop back on the stones and warm himself in the sun while gazing at them.

His clan was on good terms with the dwarves below and, though Lorelei had never seen them so far, he knew there were elves living in the nearby woods and humans out by the seaside. He listened intently when the other dragons spoke about interacting with the humans and the elves and longed to join them. For now, however, Lorelei was too young and too timid. He remained behind while others went to interact with the locals. His siblings did not share in Lorelei's apprehension and so were quick to join in on excursions to visit the people below the mountain peaks. All but one of his siblings seemed to favor dwarven forms and Lorelei could only reason it was because they'd been neighbors for so long. Though he loved the dynamic personalities of the creatures below, he wanted to know what else there was out there first. His siblings left the nest before he did. In many senses, Lorelei was considered the runt of his clutch.

When they were gone, he felt slightly more at ease. There were no other young silvers to be compared to and he felt free to learn and express himself for the first time. Lorelei waited for night to fall before flying towards the forest homes of the wood elves. He hid among the rocks above and watched with delight at their grace and their charm. They were so beautiful and graceful and he loved how they blended so effortlessly with the wood around them. Every movement they made seemed a dance to feast upon with the eyes. In the day he watched women seated in circles weave baskets together, chatting jovially and swapping stories. The children enjoyed making jewelry even if it was simply tying together several long stemmed flowers and wearing them around their necks or on their heads like living crowns. His heart saw the beauty of their art through paintings and through song and, though the music was beautiful, it was a very different sort than he'd grown up hearing from the dwarves. It moved him in a spiritual sense that his young mind could not quite describe. It brought him to tears with its passion. The young silver learned about painting, sculpture, and farming crops in the shade. At night they lit beautiful lanterns in a wide array of colors for men returning home or the joyous children that had visited their human friends along the shore and came back with arms filled with seashells.

After a few years, Lorelei moved on to watch over the humans. They were so busy, milling about the shore like bees in a hive. There was constant movement, hardly any rest, and so much productivity. They had all the same temperaments as the two races he'd observed before them, and yet they had so much more. In the time he watched them he realized just how fleeting their lives were, and yet how much they accomplished in that time. It dawned on him in time why they always moved so quickly and did so much. They crammed their days with work and rushed to enjoy what time they had left either at the end of the day or at the ends of their lives. Lorelei watched in fascination as the mature men built grand ships and constructed homes for growing families. Women helped by carving out needles and weaving sturdy fishing nets or by constructing lobster traps or any other number of things. Young adult men sailed across the sea on their grand vessels and came home; their ships heavily laden with fish to feast upon. From time to time Lorelei saw familiar dwarves visit the humans to trade gems and precious metals for fish and other items. He also saw visiting elves bargaining with beautiful linens and gorgeous jewelry that he could tell the human women coveted. The dwarves were important for them because of weapons or for materials they may need when crafting ships, yet the things the elves offered were generally luxury items. Grand portraits, beautiful gowns, or simply comfortable bed linens rather than their customary plain and uncomfortable ones.

Lorelei could watch the humans for hours. Their fleeting lives seemed a mere blink to him. His excitement overwhelmed him and he finally could bear it no longer. Around the time he reached eighty-years-old, he finally left the safety of his mountain peaks at dawn and landed in the open fields before deciding who he would shape himself into being. Of all the people he'd watched in the fishing village, his heart had bent most towards the very young and the very old. He loved the innocence and joy of the children, yet he also loved the compassion and the wisdom of the elders. The latter were so eager to share their stories and every wrinkle on their face seemed to hold a tale worth telling. With this in mind, the dragon closed his eyes and took shape. Moments passed and then Lorelei stood a man, human, with flowing emerald robes and soft white hair like snow, just barely tinged purple like his scales. His newly formed hands gently ran across the beard that he had grown and the softness reminded him of snow. It felt so peculiar to be on two legs, but he was quick to adapt and made haste to the bustling center of the village of the humans he had come to love.

Though he had worried that his attire was far too flamboyant, no one seemed to pay him much mind. Despite knowing all the streets by heart from his overhead vantage point over the years, he pretended to be an absent-minded tourist. For the first time he was able to gaze into the eyes of the people: Young children he'd watched grow into adult men and women -- most of which had formed families of their own. There were adults he hadn't seen milling about on the shore working anymore and he found them relaxing in the shade, swapping stories with one another as a means of remembering their youth. Even though Lorelei expected the mood to be somber, the way that they spoke about "the good ol' days" were as merry as any drunken dwarf speaking about the quality of the ale he was drowning himself in. It brought the young silver joy knowing that, though brief, the humans seemed pleased with the lives dealt them. He found young women giggling with one another as they whispered excitedly back and forth about the men while they worked on the beach. They seemed particularly interested in a man on the shore who had bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Lorelei smirked at their barely contained enthusiasm for the man and decided not to embarrass them by drawing attention to it. He couldn't help but chuckle, however, when the group swooned as the man removed his shirt and wiped his sweating brow with the dirty fabric.

Lorelei gave in to curiosity, slipping into a nearby Bed and Breakfast, and striding toward the bar. The woman who smiled at him from across the polished wood he recognized by sight and he wished he knew her name beforehand. Her freckles faded in her age, but her hair was still bright gold like sunlight and her smile warmed his heart. He made sure to make it clear he had no money, but would be glad to help her work around the bar in exchange for a meal. The girl, who introduced herself as Clara, was perfectly willing to accept the extra help. "More hands, less woes." she said, tossing a rag into his hands and pointing him in the direction of a couple dirty tables. While he turned to clear them away of debris, Clara prepared him a meal in the back.

The dragon had grown up eating raw deer and goat meat for the majority of his life and not much else. When Clara returned with several plates of food, his eyes shone like stars as he gazed down at them. He didn't recognize all the foods that weren't meat based, but they smelled divine. He sat to eat and let the flavors wash over him of fine spices and almost sickly sweet syrups. It all tasted so wonderful that he didn't have the willpower to stop eating and ask what everything on his plates were. Clara watched him, head propped on one hand with her elbow planted firmly on the counter. When he finally paused to take a breath she asked, "How long ya been watchin' us, Mister Dragon, eh?"

He hesitated in shock with a glass raised partially to his lips. He locked eyes with her and felt the unfamiliar sensation of a blush in his cheeks. "How..."

She gestured lazily with one finger in a circular motion without lifting her head. "Your eyes. My grandmother told me about the dragons that would visit from time to time. Haven't seen any in years, though. Not in person, anyway." Her bright smile returned. "We seen you, though, way up there. Wondered if you'd ever come say hello."

Lorelei lowered his glass and bowed his head in apology. Clara finally rose from her hunched position, laughing, and shooed the gesture away. "No need to worry, Mister Dragon. You're more than welcome here. Nice to know someone's watching over us, yanno?" She began clearing away the empty plates and refilling the glass in front of Lorelei. "And don't worry about helping me around the dining area. I got it covered, no worries." She slid a key across the bar to him. "You're staying here tonight, eh? My family can show you around tomorrow. It's a holiday so you'll get to meet everyone without having to worry about people comin' and goin' with smelly fish all day long up and down the streets." With warmth still in his cheeks, Lorelei accepted the kind offer and bowed his head in thanks.

*~*~*~*

The dragon, disguised as an elderly man, followed Clara out of the Bed and Breakfast the next day after a delicious portion of food that he'd neglected to ask the name of. They wandered the surprisingly clean streets together with Clara describing how they made most of their profits from shipping fish out to the dwarves and elves nearby. Her explanations were briefly cut off by her having to wave and greet most people she passed by. In her job, it made sense that she knew everyone in the village. A few people stopped to catch Lorelei's name and inclined their heads politely, welcoming him to their humble little village, before carrying on their way. The dragon's heart swelled with joy with each person he interacted with. Smiles sat so beautifully on their faces and he marveled again at their joy, which was even more evident up close.

He joined Clara and her family at their home and managed to make a couple of young children laugh by showering them with a gentle dusting of snowflakes. They giggled and clapped, trying to catch the tiny crystals between their palms before they could melt in the warmth surrounding them. Though they opened up their home to him, encouraging him to feel welcome to staying in their spare bedroom, Lorelei politely declined. He preferred his mountain peak where he could survey the entire village from above. It meant a better viewpoint to be able to see impending dangers before they became a true risk. Though, to be honest, Lorelei couldn't fathom anything bad happening in a place so peaceful as this.

He enjoyed Clara and her family's company for many years. Her parents passed with age and he wept at his friend's side when they did. He tried to cheer the children, older now, with the tricks that had delighted them in their youth. Their smiles were weak, but it seemed they were grateful for a reminder of their younger years. Lorelei often sat at the Bed and Breakfast while Clara and her husband worked the bar together. Though he normally worked on the docks, Clara's steadily growing bump meant she needed assistance working indoors. Though Lorelei had offered many times to assist, she turned him down every time. "Leave the people work to the people, eh Mister Dragon?"

Clara's newborn daughter was beautiful. Barely visible gold strands graced her head and when she opened her large eyes they were the most vibrant blue. It left Lorelei feeling nearly breathless gazing into them. When Clara passed him the baby, he was so afraid he might break her. She felt so light in his arms as though she barely existed at all. The baby eagerly nuzzled into his chest, tiny fingers curling around the ends of his beard, and his heart melted. He spent less time in Clara's Bed and Breakfast and more time watching the young girl grow and teaching her how to speak his language. Little Adelaide loved hanging out with Mister Dragon and learning all about what it was like to fly, how it felt to "burp up winter", and what dragon's did if they got bored. By the time she reached her early teens, they were able to speak back and forth to one another fluently in Draconic. Adelaide had taught some of the younger children a few words here and there, but none had quite grasped it so well as she.

And the cycle continued on.

Clara eventually passed. Her husband followed soon after. Adelaide took over her mother's job at the Bed and Breakfast with the same golden waterfall of hair cascading down her back. Lorelei knew before she did that a young fisherman fancied her and it was he who nudged her into making the first move. Lorelei had developed a love for weddings. Humans rarely needed a reason to celebrate, though not on the same scale as the dwarves he'd witnessed years ago, but a wedding held a different tone than any other form of celebration he'd been a part of. Adelaide's smile lingered on Lorelei when she walked down the aisle to meet her soon-to-be husband. As he'd expected, it was still the fisherman who'd been watching her from afar. It made his heart feel light to watch them together.

Adelaide's son was a precious ball of energy. He took his father's dark hair and his mother's bright eyes. Florian grew up excitedly telling other children he was best friends with a dragon. No one believed him until they came scrambling to the Bed and Breakfast one evening to watch Lorelei eat his meal while chatting merrily with Adelaide at the bar. When they caught his eyes, he merely winked and blew a gentle puff of snow flurries their way that made them all fall over themselves in glee.

Florian wanted to see Lorelei up-close in his dragon form. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he saw Lorelei shift before his eyes and he was hesitant to reach out and touch the scales of Lorelei's claw. Lorelei assured him, in Draconic, he was perfectly safe no matter what form Lorelei chose to take. The dragon watched as Florian, still in wide-eyed amazement, ran his fingers over the cold metal-like scales. When Florian had had enough, Lorelei resumed his human guise and laughed at the still apparent awe that had come hold of the boy. Adelaide later told him that Florian spoke of nothing else for weeks to his very jealous friends.

Florian never found love in the village. It took an elven trader before Lorelei made note of the look that passed between them. The young elven woman blushed under his bright gaze and offered him the chance to purchase fresh flowers from her home. "In case you wish to please your lover." she added, with an expectant lilt to her voice that he would not need them. Her smile faltered when he said he would indeed love to purchase some. As soon as she had passed him his purchase, he offered the flower back to her. The blush rose ten-fold in her copper cheeks and she laughed as she accepted. Lorelei smiled gently to himself, enjoying watching the romance unfold.

Florian moved away to live with Cerise in the woods. It was sad to watch him go, but the joy of knowing he was in good hands far outweighed the loss. Florian often came for visits during times of trade and Lorelei was able to meet his children, a son and daughter, even if it was only fleeting. The children ran to him excitedly, already calling him Mister Dragon, and he scooped them up in his arms for tight hugs. It was a life of paradise to Lorelei and he mentally scolded himself for not having left his mountain peak sooner.

Not long after Florian left home did things become rougher on the seas. It seemed more and more frequently storms tossed the ships about on the waves like child's toys. Men came home badly battered if they came home at all. Lorelei had witnessed the troubles on the sea before regarding storms, but something felt off to the silver dragon. While he was still young and no expert on the weather, something felt off about the continuous upsurgence of tidal waves and hurricanes that struck seemingly out of nowhere on otherwise calm voyages. It always seemed to happen on their returns while most men were below deck resting. Some were dead before they could wake. The next visit from Florian was a graver one as he learned about the loss of lives of former childhood friends. In confidence, he shared that the elves were complaining about the cost of fish these days. Lorelei shrugged helplessly. Men were risking their lives just trying to feed their own families. There wasn't anything that could be done about the price without insulting everyone who risked their lives daily to bring food back home. Florian nodded, understanding, and hoped he could convince Cerise's family of the same. When they embraced in parting, their grip was tighter and lasted longer.

Lorelei watched his friends and those he had come to call family lose a little of themselves day by day. The stress and the hunger was getting to them. Though they still had crops to sustain them, they counted on the profits of trade to see them through in other ways. The elves came less often, though Florian often visited to see his parents even if Cerise no longer joined him. Lorelei missed seeing his children but kept the thought to himself. Lorelei would assist the men by soaring over the seas scanning the wreckage of destroyed ships for survivors. It was safer for him since he need not touch the water to inspect it, not to mention faster before the waves claimed their souls for their own. Though Lorelei managed to rescue a few in this way, it never felt enough. The hardest day of all was when he returned without Adelaide's husband and her sobs made his heart ache in a way he wasn't sure he could handle. Though every part of him wanted to console her, his aching caused him to leave her alone in her grief. He journeyed alone to the woods to share the news with Florian. The bright eyes dulled, the strong lip quivered, and he fell to his knees at Lorelei's feet crying harder than the dragon had ever seen him do before. Lorelei knelt with him and tried to quell his own sorrow.

From the surrounding trees, he felt many eyes peering at him curiously, but it was only Cerise who came to her husband's side. She did not seem troubled by the news, but tried to comfort her weeping husband all the same. As she escorted him away, she passed a glance to Lorelei and he took it as his cue to leave the wood. All the eyes watched him depart. Something about the elves and their peaceful demeanors had shifted and this saddened him as much as the loss of his friends.

Thirty years passed and during this time Adelaide mourned herself into an early grave. Lorelei and Florian sat by her grave whispering back and forth to one another like conspiring children. Florian informed him that the elves had received word from the dwarves that they had heard things by the water's edge at night. Though the shoreline was still and calm, they heard a sound like crashing waves. Though they'd gone to investigate, none had come back with any information to bring light to the issue.

"Please, Florian, stay here tonight." Lorelei rose from the ground, gently brushing dirt off his garments. "I'll ask around the mountain peaks. Perhaps the other dragons know more than I." Florian only nodded in response, staring blankly at his mother's tombstone. As Lorelei parted, his hand lingered but a moment on the man's shoulder and gave it a strong squeeze of reassurance.


	2. Part Two

The other silver dragons he spoke with knew at once what Lorelei was referring to. The sound of crashing waves was the laughter of a sea dragon. They didn't know his name yet, but they had been watching the situation from their perches. Anger welled up in Lorelei's throat, but he bit back his retorts and thanked them for their information. As he went, he ignored their warnings to stay out of troubles that did not directly concern him. He spent a lot of time at the water's edge, offering up prayers for their departed souls and shedding tears he didn't think he could bear showing anyone else. It had only been a hundred years. How had peace faded so quickly? For him it was a mere blink of the eye and so much had been lost. Florian's joy was being torn in two by a situation well out of his control with the loss of his parents and the waning love of his beautiful elven maiden. Unable to puzzle out the answers by simply asking everyone what they knew, he resigned himself to walking the shore for hours. He barely rested, eyes scanning the seas and ears listening intently for crashing waves that didn't exist.

His silver eyes mirrored the moonlight as he stared out across the still waves. No sign of storm clouds. No hint of unrest in the sea. He was startled out of his musings by the ringing of a ship's bell. His eyes rested on the ship as it began to dock. It was one of the few ships to arrive safely, entirely unharmed. Lorelei shifted and flew back to the village to greet them, inquiring of any who would stop to speak with him if they had noticed anything strange on the sea. None had any news. No mention of choppy waters or phantom wave crashes. Just a lot of tired men and young boys glad to be home and in one piece.

As Lorelei turned to leave, feeling defeated, his eyes lingered on a young man still on the ship. He struggled to carry not a net laden with fish, but with stacks of parchment and heavily bound books. He'd already lost his grip on a couple bottles of ink which had smashed at his feet, staining his boots in dark liquid. Lorelei went to his side, taking on some of the weight of the man's burden, shooing away the unnecessary thanks offered to him. As he removed a few books from the pile in his arms, Lorelei's eyes lingered on his face. Though he knew everyone in the village, he could not place a name to this face. Surely he had seen him around and simply not spoken with him?

As though to confirm this, the man said, "You're Lorelei, aren't you?"

After a few moments, the two of them were finally able to disembark from the ship. Lorelei followed the man to his home and helped him lay out his books and scrolls on the table inside. No longer obscured by a teetering pile of literature, Lorelei was able to gaze fully at the man before him. His skin was pale, suggesting that though he was on the ship he was rarely, if ever, on deck with the others. His hair was a lighter shade of blonde, but didn't fit with anyone related to Clara's family. His eyes felt the most at-home to Lorelei with being a shade of cool gray, though they were flecked with gold and brown as he continued to gaze into them.

The man smiled, and it easily reached his eyes, "I'm Sascha. Good to finally meet ya." He extended his hand to the young dragon and Lorelei gladly shook it, blinking stupidly to clear his head. He ignored what he already knew from having seen it hundreds of times before in this very village. It was the same sensation when Adelaide had been stared down by the fisherman on the dock. If Sascha hadn't felt it then Lorelei was merely a fool. He cast his eyes towards the table, gesturing at the mess they'd stacked there precariously. "What's all this, Sascha?"

The gray eyes lit up in excitement. "All my work. Here, let me show you..." he instantly bent over the table, unfurling scrolls and holding them open with books on either corner. Lorelei recognized the sea at a glance after having flown over it so many times seeking shipwreck survivors. Every jagged rock, every bend in the land, every mile of sea -- all artfully drawn across the page. The nearby villages were carefully labelled and even the mountains beyond were drawn in around them. Though clearly unfinished, it was a truly impressive piece of work. Lorelei's eyes took it all in, amazed, and it was only when Sascha's cheery laugh reached his ears that he realized how close he was leaning down to the table to see it all.

"You made all this? Yourself?" Lorelei asked incredulously. "How?"

"By seeing it," Sascha said, opening another scroll and smoothing it out over the top of the first. "I wasn't born here, but my parents were. I came back so I could map out Tibaź the way she deserves." The second scroll was far more detailed than the first. Carefully hand painted forests and snow-topped mountains lined a couple of the borders while shimmering oceans adorned the others. As with the first, every bend in the formation of the land was accounted for. Lorelei didn't recognize this land and doubted that it was place he'd ever been before. Sascha was excitedly explaining about his journeys across the land that Lorelei was gazing down upon now. The human's work was so impressively done that Lorelei felt with this image committed to memory he would have no problem navigating the skies effortlessly even with having never visited the place before.

"I want to travel all over the planes," he continued excitedly. "I'd love to map every single land in existence. Even if it's already been done before." His eyes sparkled as he spoke. It was the first sign of true passion Lorelei had seen in years from someone in this village. It softened up the fear and the sorrow that had gripped him. A tightness he'd simply grown accustomed to in his shoulders slowly relaxed.

What started as a simple favor turned into hours seated at the table talking earnestly by firelight. The glow of the flame reflected in both sets of eyes as they spoke long into the morning. Sascha was only eighteen as it transpired, but had seen and experienced so much. In the recent years, Lorelei had almost forgotten why he had loved the humans so much, but this young man had rekindled his fondness for them. In just one night he remembered how much he had loved watching them learn and grow and follow their dreams and achieve greatness in short spans of time. He flashed back to the first time he had held Adelaide in his arms, cradled safely against his human flesh. It finally felt peaceful inside himself again. During a lull in the conversation, Lorelei let himself take a moment just to breathe in deep and hold it. When he slowly released it again, Sascha was gathering his supplies and putting them neatly away.

"Are you busy tonight?" he asked the human. Sascha turned to look at him curiously.

"No, I don't believe so. I'm only just getting settled in. This was my family's home before they left."

Lorelei knew at once who Sascha was related to by that simple statement alone. He smiled at the memories of his grandparents happily milling about the home when they were the age Sascha was now. As Lorelei shared this news, Sascha's eyes widened and he resumed his seat, letting the few things still in his arms spill back onto the table haphazardly. "You knew my grandparents? Can you tell me about them? I never had the chance to meet them."

Lorelei gladly shared tales of happier times in the village. He told Sascha of their childhood, how they met, the things they enjoyed doing most in their free time. As it turned out, the more Lorelei spoke, he began to remember that his grandfather's father had also had a love for cartography. At this news Sascha's chest swelled with pride, but he kept his comments to himself. Rubbing tiredness from their eyes, they continued speaking until they both fell asleep at the table.

It was Sascha's laughter that woke him and he awoke with his nose half-buried in a small pile of snow on the table. Sascha was scooping it up by hand and tossing it into a nearby bowl, tears in his eyes from laughing so hard. "Did you know you snore, Lorelei?" The words brought the now familiar heat to his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," he said, getting to his feet and helping him move the snow out of harm's way from the few books and scrolls that still remained on the table. Sascha shook his head, unable to speak for laughing, but it was clear that he was not upset. Together they rescued the items on the table before they could dampen from the gathered flakes.

"I wouldn't have noticed except that the cold woke me." Sascha said, indicating his dampened hair where he'd had his head resting on the table across from Lorelei. Embarrassed, Lorelei muttered a feeble apology coupled with the admission he'd never known he snored. Rather than dwell on the situation, Sascha shrugged it off and instead made note of how late they'd slept in. 

True, they'd slept into the day, but it wasn't quite evening and they had plenty of time to still dine at the Bed and Breakfast. Sascha gathered a small bag with quills, ink, and parchment before following Lorelei to their incredibly late breakfast. Sascha quietly took in the sights as they passed through the streets, but Lorelei kept his eyes downcast. He didn't want to lose the excitement Sascha had helped him regain during the night and tried to close his mind to the bleakness around him. It seemed Sascha was blind to the sorrow of the people as he was so caught up in seeing the places his family had told him about in his childhood.

The friendly faces behind the bar at the Bed and Breakfast were not ones that usually resided there. Though the couple were polite and courteous, it pained Lorelei to see someone outside of Clara's family working here. Had the line officially ended without Florian's offspring here to take over? While they sat together at the bar, Lorelei began wondering if the Bed and Breakfast had always belonged to Clara's family or if they'd taken over for someone else. He was thankful to be pulled out of his thoughts as he ordered food and drink for the pair of them. The conversation quickly turned to the somber behavior of the diners seated around them. Sascha had finally noticed that no one seemed to be talking much and, when they did, it was monotone with little to no emotion on their faces. Even normally rowdy children seemed dulled in their behavior around them.

Lorelei hesitantly began explaining the situation. A sea dragon sinking ships that no one could seem to actually catch sight of for the last thirty years. Relations with the elves were tense, food was scarce, and many families were losing their fathers or sons as they braved the seas to try to bring fish home to feed their families. It was then that Sascha noticed the meatless food on his plate and how meager the portions truly were. Eyebrows furrowed, he asked slowly if there were any way that he could help. Lorelei's sad smile made Sascha frown. Before he could say anything, Florian entered the Bed and Breakfast and made his way at once to their table.

Rather than taking a seat, he placed his hand on Lorelei's shoulder without acknowledging the young boy seated with him. "Lorelei? There's an elf asking for you at the edge of town."

Lorelei turned, curious. "Do you know her?"

Florian shook his head. "She has your eyes."

Lorelei rose at once, excusing himself from his meal with Sascha, and followed Florian out. The elven woman stood taller than what a true elf would be. She was clothed in silken white robes, adorned in golden jewelry, with pointed ears exposed proudly. Her hair ran long, down to her ankles, in a shade of shimmering silver tinged with purple. Their eyes met briefly before the two silver dragons embraced. "It's good to see you again, Eira." Lorelei said to his sister as they released one another.

"Lorelei, you tender-hearted fool. The clan tells me you're putting your snout where it doesn't belong." Her silvered eyes lingered on Florian for a moment before focusing again on Lorelei. "I didn't expect you'd become quite so taken with the humans."

Florian ran a hand nervously through his hair, taking a few steps back. It seemed Eira didn't care much for the human villagers. Lorelei merely smiled gently at her, "It affects more than just the humans, Eira. The dwarves and elves are feeling the ripples of the sea dragon's influence as well."

She nodded, hair swaying gently as she did so. "The wood elves are not themselves these days. I'm planning on leaving soon, but since you're so invested I thought I should share with you what I know." Florian reclaimed the two steps he'd given up in order to hear what Eira had to say. "The sea dragon you're seeking is a Great Wyrm named Ferreus. Though it's unclear where he came from, he's made the nearby sea his home. We thought at first he was killing to grow his hoard, but it seems he cares not for riches. He simply enjoys killing for the sport of it alone." Her nose wrinkled at the idea. "He's too powerful to face head-on, Lorelei. I have heard enough about you these last few years to know you would be foolish enough to try, but please..."

Lorelei rested his hand on top of the one Eira had just placed on his shoulder. "I promise nothing. No one else is doing anything. If I find him, I will deal with him."

Eira sighed, nodding to herself. "I surmised as much. Be careful, Lorelei."

"When did you find out his name, sister?" Lorelei asked before she could turn to leave. It was the first time she looked to be without composure. Noticing her discomfort, Lorelei pressed her again. Behind him, Sascha joined with the small group and locked eyes with Florian who gently pressed a finger to his lips before the young boy could say anything.

"We knew about twenty years ago," she softly uttered.

Lorelei's eyes narrowed. "I spoke with the clan just yesterday. They told me nothing of the sea dragon apart from confirming his existence. What else do you know?"

Suddenly flustered, Eira responded with her voice trembling slightly. "They were worried about you, Lorelei. You keep getting involved and that isn't how we operate. He's not a young dragon, do you understand? He's older than even our own parents. Even if we fought together we would not stand a chance."

"What else do you know, Eira?" He'd strode up to her, seemingly increasing in height, until he did not simply gaze up into her eyes but instead towered over her. "What else has been hidden from me?"

"He...he hides out near the dwarven mines. Near where we grew up. It's why they keep hearing the crashing waves even when the water lies silent." Eira took a half-step away from Lorelei but held his gaze. "I wasn't even supposed to tell you this, but I saw you tell this man about his father. The elves have stopped trading with the village, am I correct?" Florian lowered his eyes but nodded to her question. "They saw you with him and have been cold towards the people ever since. They think you're influencing the humans to cut back on trading with them."

"People are dying!" An icy wind escaped Lorelei's lips, whipping Eira's hair about her head in a frenzy as he continued in Draconic. "Are they choosing to ignore how we've had to expand the cemeteries? Are they ignorant to how the children no longer play on the shore? Have they not noticed how hungry the people are without being able to trade for crops that only the elves know how to sow?"

Both Florian and Sascha stepped away from the two dragons, looking unsure how to intervene or even if they should, but unwilling to simply leave the situation in its entirety. It seemed Eira was uncertain on if she should remain where she stood or if she should flee. "Lorelei, please. I was not supposed to be here. You wouldn't even know this if I hadn't come to see you." Fear seemed to slowly ease away from her as her brother quieted with her words. "I'm leaving because I can't bear to watch you throw your life away for these people. If you choose to fight Ferreus, you would do so alone. The clan has made it perfectly clear that they will not get involved." Her hands began to smooth her hair back into place as Lorelei resumed his usual shorter height in comparison to Eira's elven form. "I wanted you to be more prepared, no matter what they said. Ferreus can control the weather, he can summon sea creatures to his side at an instant, his size is so massive he blots out our suns..." Eira shrugged helplessly, seeing that Lorelei's face may as well have been formed of chiseled ice.

Rather than respond to her warnings, Lorelei slowly turned to the two men standing behind him. "Excuse me for a moment. I will return after speaking with my clan." He regarded his sister with a slightly more softened expression when he was done addressing them. "Thank you for the news, Eira. Please travel safely." Without another word, he strode past her and out of the village. Florian made to follow, but Eira held out her arm to stop him. The three of them watched as Lorelei reached a safe space to transform and made his way to the mountains where the other silver dragons sat loftily above all. Where they reclined and did nothing to save the lives of the innocent below and while they lied to those they were accustomed to calling 'family'.


	3. Part Three

Sascha and Florian spent the next five days in one another's company awaiting Lorelei's return. Together they talked about the situation regarding the sea and Sascha offered whatever help he could provide in helping to find a solution. Florian taught him what he knew of Lorelei, smiling as he fondly remembered calling him Mister Dragon as a child, and explaining that Lorelei had been a friend to his family for many years. "Lorelei feels like a parent to me, but I suppose that's strange to hear from an old man." Sascha smiled, shaking his head. It sounded perfectly normal to him.

In Lorelei's absence it seemed the wind grew colder. Though the months were supposed to be warm at this time of year, a chill came over the land that they were unaccustomed to. Florian sat by his mother's grave, but his eyes were focused on the mountain peaks above as though he might catch a glimpse of the young dragon watching him. He never caught sight of Lorelei or the other silvers, but occasionally he thought he heard the angry sound of avalanches echoing above them. He hoped that Lorelei didn't need help, especially since Eira had left shortly after her brother and had made it clear she would not return. It felt strangely lonely without the silver dragon in town, though it had been quite some time since Florian had been home for so long. He'd spent so much time with the dragon strolling along these streets that he just seemed a constant of the village. Never changing, always protecting them, there if needed... Sascha startled him by joining him at the graveyard, wrapping a thin blanket around his shoulders. Florian blinked a few times, staring past the young boy at the sky beyond him. The sun was setting already? Had he been here all day?

Sascha sadly smiled down at him, offering a hand to help him off the hard earth. "C'mon. Warm drinks are on me." Together they made their way to the Bed and Breakfast, forgoing the bar for a quiet table in the corner. Though Florian felt warmer now, his eyes still held nothing but sorrow. He scanned the couple working behind the bar and wondered, perhaps, if he should just come home and take on the business his family had left to him. The Bed and Breakfast had never belonged to anyone else and it felt a shame to let it pass from his family's fingers so easily. After all, there was nothing waiting for him back in the woods. Cerise rarely spoke with him no matter how hard he tried. Though the children often begged to come see Mister Dragon and the place Florian still called home, Cerise would talk them out of it or simply refuse. No elven traders visited either the humans or the dwarves anymore, instead travelling longer distances to do dealings with other races despite perilous roads and creatures that would rather feast than speak plainly. Florian lowered his head into his hands, his pale fingers disappearing into the slowly graying dark hair, and held his breath to calm the flow of tears that creeped to his eyes.

The two men jumped at the sound of the door slamming open. Lorelei stood in the doorway, clothing damp and dirty, looking somehow equally defeated and empowered. He hesitated at the door, letting in strong gusts of cold air, before slowly making his way straight across the room to the bar. The door still hung wide open and in the street people were calling out to one another in confusion. Torn between checking on their friend and seeing what the commotion was about, they gave in at last to curiosity and strode over to the door and peered out into the freezing night. Across the sky the rays from the moons above became blotted out over and over again as one passing dragon after another left the mountains, out of sight, across the sea. Sascha and Florian slowly glanced to one another before looking back at Lorelei who sat at the bar nursing a cup of warm tea.

The streets were crowded with children and their parents, the elderly, those who were late in finishing their work for the day. Soon other occupants of their building pushed past the two men to join the throngs and watch as the silver dragons left them for good. They had never known a time without the dragons nearby watching over them, but all who had ever met Lorelei had no reason to distrust him. Though the fear was palpable, everyone slowly returned to their original tasks and spoke nothing to the silver at the bar. All their hopes rested on his shoulders now.

Hesitantly, the two men joined their friend at the bar, and Florian cautiously placed the thin blanket Sascha had given him around Lorelei's rigid shoulders. Lowering his teacup, eyes still downcast at its contents, Lorelei muttered, "I do not feel anything, Florian, but thank you."

*~*~*~*

Ten more years passed with the three men working together as best they could to solve the problem of Ferreus. With no true sightings and limited information, their task seemed impossible. They never caught sight of the dragon and only ever caught wind of his presence after a ship was already succumbing to the waves. Lorelei had even gone so far as to fly above a ship its entire journey away and back again to their tiny village. He both cursed and praised their safe passage when he made it home once more. It was as if the damned sea beast knew what he was doing and were simply toying with him. It became a ritual for Lorelei to kneel at the water's edge with his head bowed low into the sand, praying for the departed. Florian would often stop Sascha from interrupting him as he knew all too well how he felt at his mother's graveside. "Let him be. He needs to feel as though this helps."

It pained Sascha to do so, but he would stand in silence in the sand waiting for Lorelei to calm himself. When the dragon finally rose to his feet and turned to head back to land, Sascha would be waiting to gently wipe away the grains of sand clinging to the old face. During the day they would sometimes work together and occasionally work separately on gathering information even though there had been nothing new to report. One day after walking back and forth along the shore, Sascha managed to convince the dragon that they were allowed to rest at least for one day. The daily grind over the years had left their eyes weary. Perhaps they were too tired to see anything obvious. Together they trekked back to the Bed and Breakfast, greeted by Florian's fragile smile from behind the bar. Two years after the other silvers had left the mountains, Florian had finally chosen to move back home. Cerise had not even tried to prevent him going and had not warned their children ahead of time. Lorelei wondered if, perhaps, this would cause them to resent not just their mother, but their father as well. By now his son and daughter would be nearly adults and seeing their father run away may look like a lack of caring. He hoped it would not one day spell more heartache to Florian.

As they sat together, Florian passed them food and drink, inquiring of any news. Lorelei busied himself with his plate, leaving Sascha to answer. The usual. Nothing to report. Florian and Sascha held one another's gaze for a few moments before Florian finally cleared his throat, addressing Lorelei, "You know, Lorelei. Perhaps a break would do everyone's mind some good. We've been searching for clues for ten years and it hasn't made any real dent on the situation." He hesitated, weighing his words carefully. "We've been sending out less ships and, if anything, we're making due with what we have available to us. As long as we have some form of sustenance we will survive. Why not join Sascha tomorrow doing something more enjoyable?"

Lorelei chewed in the quiet left behind by Florian's words for some time, leaving the two men unsure if their plan had worked. He finally gave a nod so small it could have been dismissed entirely. "What shall we do, then, Sascha?"

A relieved smile passed over the two men's faces and Florian walked off to take care of another customer. Sascha quickly pulled his bag onto the counter, pulling out scrolls and showing them to Lorelei. "There were parts of Tibaź I've not managed to map yet, remember? Perhaps we could go out together and finish it." his smile was genuine and that, more than Sascha's words, spoke to Lorelei's heart. A small kindling of joy rose in Lorelei again and he remembered the day he'd met Sascha. The silver desperately wanted to cling to that hope again.

"What do you propose, then? We travel on foot?" Lorelei asked, sitting up straighter than he had in months.

A blush rose in his pale cheeks as Sascha said, "I was thinking I could ride you in your dragon form?"

He had expected Lorelei to instantly refuse, but again he mulled the proposition over while chewing his food. The silence seemed to stretch on for so long that Sascha was close to telling his friend to no longer worry about it, but the dragon finally nodded. A firm, strong nod compared to the one before it. "Very well. Tomorrow morning, then. Just tell me which direction to fly."

Excitement overcame the young man and he bounced delightedly in his seat, opening the scroll in his hands a bit wider and indicating the blank spots of his map and where he'd enjoy going to first. Lorelei, however, disagreed, indicating an area beyond the wood where Florian's children and wife lived. "This place here is beautiful. I haven't been in years. It would be nice to see it again." Sascha very quickly agreed, rolling up his scroll and excusing himself so that he could prepare for the journey the coming day.

As Sascha left the bar, Lorelei felt an unfamiliar smile playing across his lips. That tug had finally returned to him and he thought again of Adelaide, smiling thankfully at him as she walked down the aisle to her future husband. Florian caught sight of the expression and smiled as though the action were contagious. "So, Mister Dragon, tomorrow morning?"

Lorelei nodded, finishing his meal. "I've never let anyone ride on me before. I'm not certain how fast I am allowed to fly." He noted the look of child-like envy on Florian's face and laughed. "You put the notion in his head, didn't you?"

"I didn't think you'd actually go for it," Florian said, the jealousy obvious in his voice. "Imagine what all my childhood friends would have thought if I could have flown on the back of a dragon and they couldn't." Suddenly looking more serious, he locked eyes with Lorelei. "Make sure you tell him to bring something warm if he's going to be in contact with your scales for so long. The damned things are freezing, from what I remember, and all I did was stroke your claw."

The mood had been so easily lightened and Lorelei did nothing to hold back the laughter, agreeing that he would make sure to keep the young cartographer warm. For a moment Florian's voice had taken on a tone that Lorelei associated with his mother, Adelaide, warning him to make sure Florian kept bundled up during the winter months. It felt good to feel the presence, even in memory, of someone he loved and missed.

*~*~*~*

They set out before dawn. Lorelei met Sascha at the front door of his home, prepared with blankets that Sascha laughed at but took gratefully. Together they walked out of the village to a clearing while Sascha double-checked his bag for all the necessary quills, parchment, and ink the journey required. Lorelei transformed while he checked his belongings, stretching out in full form along the grass. His scales glimmered in the sunlight and caught Sascha's eye, distracting him. "Can you still speak to me like this?"

Lorelei laughed, nodding his large head. Though the body was different, Sascha noted that the large eyes were still familiar to him. The molten silver swirled like a gentle flurry of snow and Sascha gently reached out to touch the claw nearest him. His eyes widened. "Florian wasn't kidding. It feels like a solid chunk of ice." He ran his hand down one talon, mesmerized.

After arranging blankets over Lorelei's spines near the base of his neck, Sascha believed he had a safe place to sit astride the dragon that would also provide some protection against the cold. Though the layers of cloth seemed thick, Sascha was still well aware of the chill against the lower half of his body. "Just warning you, I don't think I can handle the chill for very long."

Lorelei readied to rise. "Then we'll be quick."

Thankfully, Sascha had enough time to grab hold of the icy spines in front of him before Lorelei ascended into the skies. The movement of his wings behind Sascha rocked him gently back and forth, but he felt surprisingly safe in their makeshift harness. Having watched the young silver take off many times before when chasing ships to guard them on their journey, he could tell that Lorelei was intentionally moving slower and flying lower than usual. It seemed a mere heartbeat had passed before the home of the wood elves below passed by them. Sascha could clearly see their brightly colored lanterns shimmering in the trees since the morning had not yet begun to dawn. With barely a blink, the view was gone. In the distance, the suns slowly began to rise and cast golden light across the land as they soared over it. They passed between the woods and a range of mountains that seemed to have what looked to be a large, metallic gate on one side that shimmered almost like silver. Sascha hadn't managed to get a good look at the gates, but Lorelei did not make comment on them. They soared past as Sascha tried to keep the mountain in mind to add to his map. It almost seemed as though Lorelei wanted to keep them secret so, perhaps, he would neglect to mention the gate itself in his creation of the map after all.

It seemed such a brief amount of time in the air with the wind tossing his light hair into his eyes and back out of them again before Lorelei began his descent. The ground rose to meet the large, taloned feet and soon Sascha was carefully disembarking and staring about at a long, winding river that he was almost positive was not visible from the sky. Yet as he stared down the bends in the water, they seemed to travel all the way back to the sea of the fishing village. Lorelei, back in human form and carefully folding the blankets, laughed at Sascha's confusion. "You cannot hope to see everything by mere sight alone." he teased.

"How did you even know this place was here?" Sascha asked, striding to the water's edge and kneeling to touch its surface. It seemed to Lorelei he was trying to confirm if it was really there at all.

Setting the last of the blankets aside, Lorelei joined him by the river's edge. "I wouldn't have known about it if not for the dwarves. It feeds into the back of their mountain. They told my siblings it spills out into a waterfall inside, but we've never seen it." He sighed wistfully. "I hope to one day see it for myself. It sounds like a place I would enjoy relaxing by."

Still looking confused, Sascha withdrew his hand from the water. "Why...can it not be seen from above? How --"

Lorelei gently chuckled at him. "Not everything needs an answer, Sascha. Some things just are."

Admitting defeat, Sascha removed his bag instead and let himself warm in the sun. He began hastily scribbling on spare parchment all he could remember from the journey. Over his shoulder, Lorelei watched. Even his rough drafts were elegantly drawn and it reminded Lorelei of the pleased feeling he had when watching the elves paint many years ago. There were only a handful of instances where Lorelei interjected to correct Sascha's work. Rather than seem hurt or offended, Sascha would graciously thank him and correct the error before continuing on. Not once did he look up from the page and not once did Lorelei look away from him.

The wind chill had left Sascha's cheeks red and his hair stuck up at odd angles from the wind blowing it in all directions, and yet not once had he complained about the cold. His eyes were alight with the same passion Lorelei remembered from ten years ago when they'd sat at the tiny table in Sascha's home and he'd excitedly told him about his desires to map out every last expanse of the infinite planes around them. With that glow to his eyes, Lorelei sincerely believed that if anyone could do so, it would be this young man before him. They sat in silence this way for hours. The morning had nearly concluded by the time Sascha finally sat back and admired what he'd managed to draw out.

Lorelei moved closer, examining the parchment in Sascha's hands, eyes scanning the drawn version of the area he knew so well from above. There were only a couple of errors he could see and he gently pointed them out to Sascha who thanked him as he worked to correct them. It was not so simple as removing the error and redoing it correctly. Sascha began painstakingly redrawing the entirety of what was already on the page, but with the new information added where he'd made his errors. When they two of them were finally satisfied with their results, the morning had long since passed. The human held the scroll open with rocks he collected by the river so that the ink could safely dry. When they were home again he intended to add in the new addition to the unfinished corner of his map.

Smiling, Sascha inclined his head to the dragon. "Thank you, Lorelei. I was worried I would never have the chance to finish Tibaź." A slight blush rose to his cheeks as he slowly ran a hand through his hair. "Honestly I'm still amazed I ever finished a single map at all."

It was the first time that he had ever exhibited some form of doubt in front of Lorelei and he wasn't sure how to respond to it. "Why would you not finish something you care so much for?"

"It isn't that I wouldn't want to." Sascha glanced over his shoulder to ensure that the parchment was secure enough to not blow away with a stray breeze before sitting on the soft grass at the river's edge. "I just worry what will happen if I make a mistake. People could get lost and, depending on where you lose yourself, you could also lose your life. It isn't an error to be taken lightly." He frowned, eyebrows drawing together. "I would hate to be the reason people died. For something so trivial as a misplaced stroke of a quill."

Silence fell between them that was only interrupted by the river's flow and the sounds of birds blessing them with song. The area they had chosen to rest in was mostly open grassy fields, though they had a small amount of shade provided by a couple of trees on either side of the water. Though it couldn't be considered truly cozy by its mere exposure alone, it felt comfortable being in one another's company.

While Sascha closed his eyes and immersed himself in the sounds around him, Lorelei studied his features. Slight bags under the eyes, likely from staying up late with his books. Stray hairs on his chin from a quick shave -- perhaps overly excited about their outing today and therefore careless. A lack of wrinkles suggesting Sascha did not often, if ever, succumb to worry and stress. His slouched posture was hardly an indication of anything Lorelei didn't already know. Sascha always had seemed incredibly relaxed and at ease, even in trying circumstances. In his mind there were very few reasons to be uptight. As the silver eyes scanned back to Sascha's face, he noticed that the cool grey eyes were focused on him. He smiled rather than shy away from having been caught and asked, "How did you know my name? That day I met you on the ship.”

“Everyone talked about you.” He leaned back into the grass, arms folded behind his head. “I know why now, but everyone seemed on edge that entire trip. The last night was the worst. Even from below deck the sound of everyone holding their breath was deafening.” His lips slowly settled into a frown. “They were discussing you towards the end. Not accusatory, before you ask. It seemed more like an unwritten will that they all believed you’d be there for their wives and children if they never made it home again.” He glanced over to Lorelei, noting the uncomfortable facial expression. “I know you’ve got some big shoulders, but that’s a lot of weight to have. Even for a dragon. So many people look up to you. I didn’t know what to expect if I ever got the chance to meet you, but lo’ and behold you found me before I could even leave the ship.”

Lorelei couldn’t bring himself to smile and instead laid back upon the grass next to Sascha, closing his eyes against the light above. “I don’t deserve the trust they all have placed in me. I can only do so much alone.”

The breeze that passed over them rustled the parchment behind them, but the rocks held firm. After ensuring nothing would happen to his map, Sascha settled back down again while propped up on his elbows. “May I ask...what you said to them? To your clan.”

The dragon snorted, small puffs of cold air escaping his nostrils as he did so. Eyes still closed he answered, “I told them the truth. They sit on self-made thrones loftily above everyone claiming to watch over creatures that pretend to love yet do nothing when a threat comes to snuff out their lives. If they couldn’t bring themselves to be true protectors, perhaps it would be better that they just leave.”

“That...” Sascha hesitated. “That took five days?”

“No. That took perhaps five minutes.” His eyes slowly opened. “I fought with them most of the time until they understood I was serious.”

Sascha’s own eyes widened. “You fought your entire clan?”

Lorelei’s laughter seemed bitter rather than amused. “Oh, no, I fought with our eldest. I didn’t win, per se, but the fact that I never backed down showed I was serious. They left when they realized I would not give up or budge on the matter.” His silver eyes focused on the water as it washed over the smooth stones trapped in its flow. “I was prepared to die on that mountain. At least someone should have been prepared to for all of you.”

“Lorelei...”

Before Sascha could form his question, the old human form was standing again and leaning back against the tree on their side of the river. “Humans are my favorite people. I spent the entirety of my youth watching dwarves craft beautiful weaponry, dance and sing for hours into the early morning, and fall in love more violently than any living thing could. I watched elves create beautiful tapestries both with tiny fibers and with their gifted story telling. But humans? I watched you thrive.” A small smile crept across the old man’s face. “Every adversity was simply another chance to prove yourselves. A challenge was as temporary as a pattern drawn in the sand. You had all the strength of dwarves, but in a different way. You had all the grace of elves, but more-so in your heart rather than your craft. While any other race may spend hundreds of years focusing on one goal alone, humans have already accomplished hundreds in less than half the time.” The smile had become a grin and he turned his head to face Sascha. “Humans are the most resilient beings I have ever met and I love them so dearly. I would not be even half of who I am without them.”

He motioned for Sascha to come stand with him and the young man obeyed, leaning back against the rough wood and waiting for Lorelei to speak again.

“So many underestimate humans and what they can accomplish.” Lorelei’s head gently fell back onto the trunk of the tree. “I’ve learned more from holding a brief conversation with a child than I have watching an entire race for thirty years straight.”

“What have you learned from children?” Sascha asked, genuinely curious.

Though Lorelei was smiling again, there was something different about it. Sascha could only think to call it bittersweet. “Adelaide taught me about love. She loved so many things, but I figured out quickly that that did not mean she did not love them all with equal fervor. She loved to laugh, but loved to share that laughter with others. She loved other people and so she gave them all the best parts of herself as often as she could. She gave them her time, her company, warm meals, her stories, and she openly gave them her heart. Even if they had not earned it.” It took Sascha a moment to realize that the extra shimmer to Lorelei’s eyes were tears and not just their natural color. “If not for Adelaide, I would not have understood that if I did not go to the mountain then no one would. I had to be the one. It is my way of giving my heart back to the people who have so generously shared theirs for over a hundred years.”

The tears rolled gently down Lorelei’s cheeks, hiding in his beard like fragile jewels. There was a brief moment of hesitation where Sascha’s fingers twitched at the sight.

“Florian taught me to be bold and to be cautious.” He laughed through his tears. “He did not exercise caution, but I learned through his mistakes even if he did not. Florian has always rushed into things head-on, including love. Though most of these endeavors have not ended the best, at least he gave them a chance.” His eyes closed, causing more tears to squeeze through. “Florian gives as much as his mother before him, but he gives to people who don’t deserve it. I do not know what lesson to take from that because, for Adelaide, it was always a pleasant outcome. It seems life is cruel this way.”

Sascha’s fingers brushed across Lorelei’s skin. Though his eyes opened, he did not flinch away from the touch. Sascha carefully wiped away what tears had not already trapped in the white hairs of Lorelei’s beard. To ease a slightly uncomfortable situation, Sascha asked, “I suppose I’m young enough to be a child. What have you learned from me?”

A chuckle escaped Lorelei. “Passion. When I met you I was desperate and, in many ways, still am. But you keep reminding me of the feeling I had when I first laid eyes on your kind. It’s given me hope.” The dragon inclined his head slightly. “Thank you, Sascha. Though I cannot fully explain it, your presence alone has made the last ten years less bleak.”

It took but a moment, but Sascha’s fingers still lingered on Lorelei’s cheek. His fingertips were still damp with tears, but he eased them behind Lorelei’s head to bring him closer. Without utterance their lips met, if only for a moment, and then parted. For the first time, Sascha could not discern what the smile on Lorelei’s face meant. The human inclined his head as he drew back his hand. “You’re welcome, Lorelei. I’m glad I could help you. You’ve done so much for everyone else.”

Still smiling, Lorelei resumed his position against the tree. “I have not done enough compared to things I’ve learned from all of you. I could give for the next four thousand years and it would still feel like barely scraping the surface.”

The pair talked until the suns grew close to setting. Lorelei began unfolding blankets while Sascha rolled up his scroll and stashed it away. Within a few minutes they were setting course back to the village. They traveled in silence, watching the stars claim their homes in the sky, until something out above the sea caught Sascha’s eye. “Lorelei? I think there’s something out there.” Before he’d finished speaking, Lorelei was already gliding in the direction of the disturbance. The clouds were strangely spiraling above the calm waters, looking easily like a serpent’s coils slithering through the air. Maintaining distance, the pair watched as the curving clouds lowered towards the sea. The lower they descended, the darker the sky seemed to become. At the moment they both began to fear they would have to outrun a hurricane, they saw a streak of glimmering scales emerge from the tunnel of clouds and into the water, creating not so much as a splash with its descent. Though there was likely no need to whisper, Sascha’s voice did indeed come out softly as he pointed out how near they were to the dwarven homes. Lorelei noted that they were, in fact, beside the place where Lorelei had grown as a young wyrmling. The silvered eyes narrowed and he muttered a warning to Sascha to clasp on tightly as they rushed back home to speak with Florian on their discovery.

When they met up with Florian, he was cleaning up the empty dining area in near darkness. Sascha set to lighting candles while Lorelei explained what they had seen out on the water. Florian listened attentively but seemed distracted as he glanced back and forth between the pair of them. "Perhaps you should visit the dwarves again," he suggested, meeting Lorelei's eyes. "Maybe they have more information these days. If you two were able to finally see something of the sea beast, perhaps they were as well."

Florian had to grip Lorelei firmly by the arm as he made a swift turn for the door. Lorelei's expression was hard and firm, but nowhere near as powerful as the voice Florian used to deter him. "Not tonight. Tomorrow. For now, rest." It was the only time Lorelei could recall Florian being assertive with him and so he obliged. Sascha excused himself and saw himself out after returning Florian's blankets to him. Not long after the door snapped shut behind him, Florian smirked at him.

"Shall we, uh, discuss the dragon in the room?" He teased, leaning over one of the half-cleaned tables to stare at Lorelei.

"I don't understand what you mean."

Florian nodded toward the door, smile broadening. "What did you two get up to out there? The two of you share a certain rosier hue on your cheeks, eh?" At his words, Lorelei's blush deepened and Florian had to brace himself against the table as his laughter overtook him. Before the dragon could begin protest, the old human waved his hand through the air to silence him. "To be honest, Lorelei, I'm happy. You helped my mother find love so I'm thankful it found you, too." Rather than answer, Lorelei sheepishly bowed in thanks, and retreated to the safety of outdoors.


	4. Part Four

When morning came, Lorelei was already awake. Sleep had been brief and hard to come by. Curled up on the stone of the mountain above the sleeping fishing village, his silver eyes stared out to the still waters where he and Sascha had seen the undulating coil-like clouds as the sea dragon descended into the depths below. Lorelei had partially been unable to sleep due to keeping watch on the area and partly because of his kiss with Sascha. He had already fully expected it to take place some years ago, perhaps even before Sascha had. It was a gift he had that he could not fully understand himself, but even when observing the people from above before having ever met them face-to-face, Lorelei had been very adept at understanding who was 'meant' for who. He let his eyes shut as he sighed. It seemed the only instance he'd been mistaken was with poor Florian. Had he known what would come in later days, he would have discouraged the younger version of his friend.

After another unsuccessful attempt at resting, Lorelei finally gave up and rose from his curled position on the rocks and began his descent to join the humans below. He met up with Florian at the Bed and Breakfast before it could open, noting that the man looked as equally tired as himself. Aside from the dark circles beneath his eyes, it seemed he had been crying not all too long ago. Lorelei instantly made comment. He'd known Florian his entire life and pretending things were calm when obvious unrest stared him in the face would be disrespectful to his friend. Florian hesitated and in that instant Lorelei knew he wanted to lie or to shrug off the inquiry. He waited to see which the man would choose to follow through on as he joined him at his table.

Florian lowered his head into one hand, shrugging gently. "I can't lie to you, Lorelei. I would just rather not speak of it for now."

Lorelei rested a hand on Florian's head, "I don't doubt it, but if you don't I can guarantee we would never speak of it at all." When Lorelei moved his hand away, he could see the fresh tears in the blue eyes across from him.

Slowly, Florian guided his second hand to cradle his face so that Lorelei could not look directly at him. His words tumbled like broken bits of glass from his lips, as though the mere utterance of them cut him deeper than before. Though his children were old enough now to choose for themselves, so much time had passed and so many lies had been spread that they no longer cared to see their father. As Lorelei had feared, Florian explained that they felt he had deserted them and under their mother's oppressive thumb they had felt trapped.

"When did you go to speak with them?"

Florian laughed bitterly, the sound muffled against his palms. "While you and Sascha were away. Cerise would not even meet with me."

Lorelei's eyes lowered to the tabletop. "I am so sorry, Florian, I --"

The human shook his head, lifting it to peer at Lorelei over the damp fingers. "It's fine. At least I know they're safe in the woods. It's a better alternative than having them so close to that thing out there." Using the back of his arm, Florian dried his eyes. "I only wish I could have...been better for all of them. We were so happy once."

Lorelei struggled to find something to say. His mind raced back to the day in the wood telling Florian the news about his father's passing. At least then there had been a body to mourn, but now? All that was left to mourn still lived. There would be no grave to visit other than at night on the inside of Florian's eyelids. Perhaps it was why he visited Adelaide's grave so frequently. He had much more to mourn than just the passing of his parents and had, in fact, been mourning for years before this day came. Lorelei was spared having to find the proper thing to say as Florian rose from the table and pushed the chair back into place.

"I have to get ready for the breakfast rush. Perhaps you should check to see if Sascha would like to join you on visiting the dwarves." Neither of them could bear to look the other in the eye and so Lorelei rose and exited in silence.

Unlike Florian and himself, Sascha was well-rested and filled with energy when he answered the door for Lorelei. He excitedly invited him in to show him his progress on the map and moving everything from yesterday onto the final parchment. The ink still glistened in the sunlight coming in through the window from how fresh it was and Lorelei smiled as he took in every little detail.

"It's perfect, Sascha. We'll have to be sure to go out again to finish the rest."

The man's chest swelled with pride at Lorelei's words and he nodded, busying himself with ensuring the scroll would not snap closed before giving Lorelei his full attention. It suddenly dawned on him how tired the dragon looked and his smile faltered. "Lorelei, have you slept at all?"

"A wink and half," he answered with a shrug. "Too much on this old mind."

Sascha's smile had fully vanished and he made to reach for Lorelei's hand but drew back at the last second. With a soft chuckle, Lorelei took Sascha's hand instead. "Life is short, Sascha. If there is ever something you wish to do, do not hesitate in doing so."

Relief washed over his face and his fingers gently squeezed against the back of Lorelei's hand. "I know you didn't come here to discuss maps. Did you need me today?" Lorelei reminded him about the dwarves and Sascha nodded. "I felt that it should be a trip you made alone. Perhaps your old neighbors would respond better to a familiar face without the accompaniment of a stranger."

"Fair enough." It was true. The dwarves would remember Lorelei as the shy dragon who had watched with wonder from just beyond their mountain dwellings. Even if they did not remember him, they would of course remember his family. He hoped that the absence of Lorelei's clan would not spell hostility for their interaction. "I best be off, then."

"Wait..." Sascha had not released Lorelei's hand. When the dragon turned around again, the young man before him shuffled his feet nervously as though he were still a shy child. "Life is short, right?" he asked in a way that seemed more to be seeking permission than an actual answer.

Lorelei only nodded, waiting with his arm outstretched in Sascha's grasp. Sascha visibly swallowed, but was already closing the gap between them. Lorelei admired that he moved in spite of fear and accepted his embrace gladly.

As they kissed, Sascha felt the caress of winter across his lips. His lips felt frozen as though he were pressing them to a block of ice rather than against Lorelei's own. When he pulled away his lips appeared chapped and his cheeks flushed red with cold rather than embarrassment. Lorelei let out a contented sigh, and Sascha blew the few bits of snowfall away before they could reach his face. "Travel safe, won't you?" he asked, pulling out of their embrace.

"I promise to. You have my word." Lorelei took a step back, heading again for the door. He called over his shoulder as it swung open before him. "Where shall I meet up with you when I am done?"

Sascha thought on it and said, "Wait for me along the shore."

*~*~*~*

Lorelei had expected to be greeted with hostility, but the first to see him excitedly beckoned the other dwarves his way and they joyfully cried out and immediately offered him ale. It was an offer he politely refused, but he appreciated the lack of enmity. While most returned to their work, Lorelei followed an older looking dwarf with a long red and white beard into the cave mouth behind him. They took a tunnel to the right and Lorelei felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight. His eyes did not linger on the piles of gemstones or gold, but in the background where a waterfall cascaded down into a reflecting pool. It was a hard feat to hold back his excitement but he managed to tear his eyes away from the sight in order to listen to the old dwarf who was asking who he was.

"Lorelei. I lived near here as a wyrmling. I believe one of my brothers lived with you all for a time?"

The dwarf nodded, "Aye. Sören. For a dragon, he were a better dwarf than most."

Though the dwarf spoke with him, there was something about his posture that told Lorelei he was on guard or at least irritated with him. "Have I...done something wrong by coming?"

"Ah, no, but ye did chase away every blasted dragon in the area who might could help us. It's not very endearing to ya." His arms were crossed and it was then that Lorelei made note of the glimmering axe strapped to his back.

"I don't believe I got your name." Lorelei said hopefully.

"That's because I didn't give it to ya." He sniffed. "Listen. That damned sea beast is massive. He's been reckless and we've caught sight o' him once or twice now. We thought with Sören and the whole lot of your clan could help us kill him, but everyone but you is gone." His dark eyes scanned Lorelei up and down, sizing him up. "What's a wee thing like you got against a Great Wyrm like that?"

Lorelei's mouth hung open, unsure how to answer. In his silence the dwarf in front of him sighed.

"That's what I thought." His arms finally lowered to his sides and he motioned for Lorelei to follow him back out of the cave. "I'll let ya poke around a bit and if anyone can answer any o' your questions you're welcome to what they have to say.”

Ashamed and silent, Lorelei let the dwarf lead him back out in the daylight. The sound of hammers ringing on steel greeted his ears and he suddenly felt very small and very unequipped. It hadn’t truly been so long ago that he sat above them all and watched them as a new hatchling. Perhaps the dwarf was right to judge him so harshly. With no given farewell, the dwarf abandoned him outside the cave and went back to whatever task he had been doing before Lorelei arrived. The dragon stood dumbly in the sun, gazing at the working dwarves for several minutes before his eyes settled on one who seemed to be taking a break.

Lorelei approached him as the dwarf wiped his brow with a dirty rag. Unlike the stranger who had escorted him into the cave, this man was amicable. He shook Lorelei’s hand so hard that he was sure he felt his bones rattle. They exchanged a few pleasantries before Lorelei explained that he was seeking information about Ferreus. His demeanor changed at once, the smile giving way to a frown beneath the bushy beard. “I can show ya where we saw him last.”

The dwarf casually put his work equipment away and led Lorelei out to the shore. They walked mostly in silence for over an hour with the heat of the two suns beating down upon their backs. They came across a stretch of shallow water and a small looking cave that was partially submerged under the water. Perhaps beneath the shallows the cave actually extended deeper than it appeared. Before Lorelei could speak, the dwarf pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. Shaking his head he simply motioned that Lorelei should look but remain silent.

Lorelei nodded to show his understanding and wandered the area quietly without disturbing the water. When he felt satisfied he knew the layout as best he could without having actually submerged himself in the sea, he gestured for the dwarf to lead them out again. It wasn’t until they could hear the sounds of the other dwarves again that he spoke to Lorelei once more. “We had been hearing the obnoxious sound of crashing waves for months, but the sea was silent. Finally found that cave. Barely even a cave at all, as far as we can see.” They approached the dwarf’s workstation again and he began sliding on his work apron as he spoke. “The damned thing is laughing. I’m sure if we compared dates it’d likely be when you’ve seen most of your friends die out on the waters.” His eyes met Lorelei’s and he sighed. “I don’t know how ya can beat him on your own, but I’m on your side, brother. At least you’re inclined to seek out information and help people.” His words ended bitterly and Lorelei could not help but wonder if they shared an equal distaste for Lorelei’s clan.

“I’ll be visiting the cave tonight,” Lorelei informed him, curious to see how the dwarf would respond.

“Man of action. I like that.” He grasped his hammer once more and began working. It was as close to a farewell as Lorelei would get and Lorelei inclined his head in a sort of half-bow before turning and heading off.

The other dwarves said essentially the same things he already knew. One even tried to lead him to the same cave, but Lorelei assured them he had already seen it. When he was satisfied with his information, he began the journey home. It was barely even into the afternoon when he arrived at the shore. Yet, true to his word, there sat Sascha in the sand staring at the sea. Lorelei followed his gaze and felt his heart sink. A ship was setting out from the village.

“Is it bad I tried to convince them not to go?” Sascha said without looking up at Lorelei. “They pushed me aside and weighed anchor.” He let his forehead rest against his drawn up knees. Lorelei remained standing, watching the ship as it moved and wondering if its path would come anywhere near the small cave along the shore. Below him Sascha spoke, “There’s at least twenty men on that ship. Most of them boys younger than me. I know more than half of them have families here. Why wouldn’t they listen to me?”

“They’re desperate.” Lorelei murmured. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and waited for several moments before exhaling. The sand in front of him instantly became covered with frost, but the heat of the sun melted it almost as soon as it appeared. Lorelei joined Sascha in the sand, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “I know where to find Ferreus.” Sascha’s head lifted and the dragon explained to him what he’d learned from the dwarves.

Sitting up a little straighter, Sascha nodded, but his eyes were once again focused on the ship sailing away from them. “Maybe he won’t wake up before they come home.”

Though Lorelei encouraged that hope, he doubted it would come to fruition. “Should I wait to speak with Ferreus?”

There was a long silence between the two of them. After several minutes of had passed, Sascha leaned against Lorelei and shook his head. “The longer we wait, the more likely people will die. Besides, if he’s speaking with you he can’t go after the ship.” Sascha looked up at Lorelei through the fringe of his hair. “Choose your timing carefully. They planned to return at nightfall. They only wanted fish for the night, I think.”

Lorelei scoffed, removing his arm from Sascha’s shoulders and getting to his feet. “Damned fools would die for a single night. Very well.” He extended his hand to Sascha to help him up. “Let’s get a meal in us before everything gets underway. I’d like to warn Florian beforehand.”

They moved together down into the village, hands still clasped, and entered the Bed and Breakfast together. The air that hit them as they entered was heady. Though the door was unlocked, the building was empty, save for Florian seated on the floor with his back against the bar. Lorelei strode over to the man at once, yanking the bottle from his hands and lifting Florian bodily with incredible strength that seemed inappropriate for the age he appeared.

“You damned fool, Florian.” Lorelei growled, throwing the bottle across the room. The smash startled Florian more than being hoisted off the ground in the grip of the seemingly old man. “There are better ways to deal with grief.”

Florian would not look at him and finally Lorelei dropped him back down with disgust. “Sascha,” he turned to the young man behind him. Sascha looked visibly shaken, but nodded to show he was listening. “Watch over this poor fool tonight. No matter what happens I would like to know that the two of you are safe.”

He didn’t wait to see if Sascha agreed, but Sascha nodded anyway. He stared down at Florian, trying to quell his rage, “You are not the only one suffering, Florian, but you are the only one killing themselves with misery rather than rising above it.” He switched to Draconic so that only Florian would understand. “You break Adelaide’s heart, child.”

Without acknowledging Sascha, he strode out of the building and slammed the door as he went.


	5. Part Five

Lorelei wandered the shore on foot with the hopes that the lapping waves would calm him, but the sand underfoot and the water brushing against his toes simply reminded him of the very real possibility that the sea would soon be sucking in the lives of at least twenty men if he did not sufficiently distract Ferreus. He remained angry, but also increasingly dispirited the further he walked. He took his time making the trek, dragging his feet so that they left small pits in the sand where he'd been, somewhat pleased when the waves licked them back into a smooth path behind him once more. As though he had never been there at all.

He dawdled for so long that the suns began to lower, but by then he had long since passed the dwarves who were already retreating to their pubs for the evening. Lorelei noted that, unlike in his youth, there was a distinct lack of drunken singing and deafening music. This fact did nothing to improve his mood. With the cave in sight, he paused where he stood and let his eyes close. He took in a deep breath and held it in silence.

Lungs filled with salty air, he tried to capture some form of peace. He conjured up the mental image of Clara introducing him to her newborn child. He recalled Adelaide passing him the tiny bundle of Florian after she had given birth. He remembered Florian knelt at her graveside a shattered and broken man. He thought of Sascha and his nervous fingers on the back of his own neck. His mind recalled hours of helping dig fresh graves for days on end and how the grieving process would start anew each and every time a body washed up on the shore. Blowing tiny snowflakes in the faces of excited children. The judging eyes of the elves in the wood when he came to share the news of Florian's father. The joyous singing and dancing at all hours of the night from the dwarven mountains in his youth. Like electricity, his mind jumped from one thought to another in a chain. In this sustained breath, Lorelei said a prayer to the Platinum Dragon. It was brief, perhaps jumbled, but he managed to muster a few words before exhaling. At the end of his prayer, his eyes slowly opened and his feet carried him towards the cave. His anger had left him and his self pity had ceased. His mind filled with thoughts of those he loved most, he stood and stared at the water's surface for but a fleeting moment before calling out, "Ferreus!"

It seemed that the sea dragon had not heard him. Rather than call again, Lorelei took a half-step forward and let his feet submerge in the sea foam that washed over the shore as it lapped against the sand. As soon as his toes entered the water, there was a shimmer of glimmering scales and the massive head of the sea beast began to rise out of the swell. Ferreus' golden eyes regarded Lorelei as he raised himself out of the sea and sneered down at him. Rows of thin, yellow teeth jutted out of his mouth at odd angles and his laughter did indeed sound like crashing waves against Lorelei's human ears.

"Ah. Little wyrmling. I get to meet you at last."

Gazing on the dragon now, Lorelei could not fathom how deep the cave must actually go. He could only assume that Ferreus used his own majick to make the cave appear small and insignificant to those passing by.

Ferreus slowly moved onto the shore, coiling around Lorelei, teasing him with the idea that he could crush him in his coils if he wished. With Lorelei surrounded in walls of strong, glimmering muscle, Ferreus gazed down at him and laughed. Lorelei remained unphased, mouth set in a thin line and eyes hardened against the creature staring him down.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, young one?" For all that Lorelei could see of The Great Wyrm before him, there was yet more to his length hidden in the sea below. Lorelei cast aside the nagging voice that spoke in a tremor that perhaps this beast were as long as the very sea was wide.

"I have come on behalf of the humans," Lorelei began in their native tongue. "I have lived with them most of my life and I have loved them more than the air I breathe. Your actions have taken loved ones from them countless times and I cannot bear to watch their hearts break any longer. I ask that you reconsider your ways and you instead learn to love them as I have. You and I have millennia to be who we wish to be, yet these individuals are cursed with a mere whisper of that time. They are blessed to see a hundred years with their eyes, yet they do incredible things in that time that other races could only dream of." Lorelei kept speaking, acutely aware of how Ferreus was lowering his head closer and closer as he spoke and smirking wider and wider. "I consider the humans as equals, Ferreus, and they have my respect. I can no longer sit idly by and allow this senseless bloodshed to continue."

Ferreus' coils slowly cinched in around Lorelei, making the confines a little more snug, but he did not touch the silver dragon. "Misguided wyrmling... What an incredible pity that your parents chose to raise you to be weak. As if your upbringing were not bad enough, you allowed yourself to be pulled in by creatures as fragile as man?" Ferreus lifted his head again, staring in the direction of the fishing village. "If I truly wanted, the entirety of their village would be rubble in the blink of an eye. You know this to be true, don't you?" He turned his eyes to Lorelei without lowering himself again. "But if I did, then where would I find my entertainment then? For a group of creatures who live so close to the waters, they have many poor swimmers. Did you know that, wyrmling? I can count effortlessly the amount of men who managed to swim away to safety." He paused, as though waiting for Lorelei to ask the number. When the silver did not indulge him, he supplied the answer with a rush of breath in Lorelei's face that stunk of rotting fish. "None of them."

Fear nestled in Lorelei's throat. Not for himself, but for the people. Though he could not foresee any outcome of a battle against the sea dragon where he won the fight, he could not back down without the effort. Though he might not win, he was the only one capable of at least making the attempt. Despite how he felt, Lorelei remained physically unchanged with eyes focused squarely on the sea dragon's own and his mouth drawn into the thinnest of lines.

Unphased by Lorelei's silence, Ferreus continued. "Their ships litter my floors in heaps, young one. You and I both know there is no treasure to gain from your pathetic people. I simply enjoy the sounds of their gasps when the water fills their lungs. I revel in the pointless fights from men ill-equipped with fishing nets and spears rusted with sea brine. Their screams and unheard prayers are a more soothing lullaby than anything the sea alone can provide." The coils cinched once more. If Lorelei were to stretch out his arms, he would hit strong, muscular coils on either side with the backs of his hands before he could extend them at all. "You and I both know you have no support from your clan." The sneer returned. "Just as we both know that, in a fight, I would leave your corpse to rot on the ocean's floor alongside your pathetic human's ships."

With nothing more to say, Ferreus began slithering back into the seemingly shallow water, and his form began slipping out of sight far faster than it should have been able to. Lorelei called to the sea dragon once more and Ferreus turned to meet the silver gaze with his golden one.

"Ferreus. Cease or be dealt with." The ice that edged his words was lost on The Great Wyrm and as he turned to walk unimpeded down the shore, Ferreus' laughter followed him. With every step, the weight on Lorelei's shoulders felt all the heavier. When he looked up at the village a couple hours later, the weight lessened with the realization that the ship had returned and docked unharmed. He had managed to distract Ferreus long enough to spare at least these families from being unable to bury their dead with their loved ones claimed by watery graves.

His feet carried him to the door of the Bed and Breakfast, but he hesitated at the doorway. After a long moment of indecision, he turned and walked away without opening the door and instead made for Sascha's home. Though he knocked on the door, there was no answer, so he let himself in and settled at the table. Everything was still positioned as it had been this morning and Lorelei marveled at the realization that it had not been weeks ago that Sascha had shown him the fresh addition to his map. In truth, it had scarcely been twelve hours since. He gently ran his fingers over the dried ink on the map, allowing a very faint smile to creep across his features as he gazed at Sascha's hard work. It was barely a spark, but it was there, and he grasped for it greedily. Whatever hope he could find, he would gladly take it.

Feeling more at ease than when he had entered, Lorelei set up a safety barrier between his face and the map and propped his head on the table to find rest. It had only been perhaps half an hour when Sascha woke him laughing, thanking Lorelei for protecting his hard work from Lorelei's uncontrollable snoring. Still groggy, Lorelei brushed the very small amount of snow off the spines of the books he'd piled in front of his face before napping.

The first words he managed to speak were to ask about Florian's condition. Sascha frowned as he rolled up the map to stow it safely away. "He will be fine. He wanted to apologize to you, but I told him it was probably best he wait to speak with you until at least tomorrow." Returning to the table and sitting across from him, Sascha added with a smile, "I see the ship is docked in one piece. How did your talk with Ferreus go?"

"I...am unsure." Lorelei's eyes lowered. "He did not seem to care for what I had to say, so I gave an ultimatum instead."

Sascha's smile vanished, eyebrows knitted together. "An ultimatum?"

Lorelei nodded, "Cease or be dealt with."

They sat in silence together before Sascha hesitantly asked, "Do you have a plan for the...dealing with it part?"

Lorelei sat up straighter, staring Sascha directly in the eyes. "Or I fight him."

The laugh that escaped Sascha's lips was one of disbelief and horror. "Lorelei... Did you...did you think this through?"

The dragon swatted the question away, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet. "I have thought about this for nearly forty years, Sascha. There is likely no other way. No one else can do anything and those that could have did not wish to." He stole a glance out the window at the stars blinking into the sky. "Where did you leave Florian?"

With a sigh, Sascha gave up the argument. "Sleeping. I'll check on him in the morning. What will you do?"

"The same." Lorelei strode to the door.

"I meant in the morning, Lorelei." Sascha followed after him, barring his path so that the dragon could not simply walk away. "Are you going back to check on Ferreus' decision?"

With a tired smile, Lorelei gently nudged the boy out of the way. "No. I will probably just have a cup of tea." His hand opened the door and Sascha watched as he strode off into the night to reclaim his perch above the village to likely guard over them rather than find true rest.

Feeling uneasy, Sascha slowly shut the door behind him, but left it unlocked in case the dragon saw fit to return in the night.

*~*~*~*

There was a month of utter silence from Ferreus. While the humans slowly began to regain their optimism, Lorelei's stomach sank with dread with each passing day. There were no reports from the dwarves of either laughter or disturbances in the water. The humans had sent out a few more ships with recurring success. Though Lorelei cautioned them that it seemed far too convenient, his words went mostly unheeded. A few older men who recalled the stories from their grandfathers about how Lorelei was the guardian of the fishing village decided to agree to remain at home and enjoy their time with their families. Yet this seemed to only embolden younger men to take their places. Even Sascha seemed ensnared by this momentary lapse in danger, no matter how often Lorelei cautioned against it.

"Come on, you're allowed to feel relief. Perhaps you got through to the beast anyway, eh?" Sascha smiled at him, nudging him in the side.

Scowling, Lorelei walked away from him. "You weren't there. You did not hear what I heard."

Lorelei strode to the dwarven caves again, seeking out familiar faces, seeking any potential new information. At least amongst the dwarves he did not feel ignored. They shared the silver dragon's unease and had men who stood guard watching Ferreus' cave at night just in case he chose to make a move. So far all had been still and silent. The dwarf who had led him to the cave found Lorelei and spoke with him briefly. Primarily he had just wanted to thank him for keeping his word and actually confronting Ferreus. "It's more than anyone else has done." he said gruffly, shaking Lorelei's hand roughly. Lorelei inclined his head politely and hoped his hand would be in one piece once the dwarf was done with it.

When he turned to leave, the old dwarf who had sized him up before called out to him and motioned him back towards the cave. "I see you're still playin' detective?" Lorelei was spared from his bitter retort as the dwarf kept speaking. "Look, now, brother. Like it or not, you're the only one we've got now. I can't say I know what ya said to the beast, but whatever it is has him plottin'. We cannot afford to lose this hunk o' rock here, aye? If that thing comes ashore, we'll lash the bastard to the mountain herself." He held Lorelei's gaze. "I promise ya that, alright?"

Lorelei couldn't help but grin a bit and nodded in thanks. "Thank you. Protect your women an--"

The dwarf's laughter cut off his warnings. "Protect the women! You're a riot, lad. Our women are a stronger lot than most o' our men. If we tried to 'protect them', who would protect us from their wrath, aye?" The dwarf, still chuckling to himself, pushed past Lorelei and back out into the sunlight. "Oh, and dragon? My name is Sindri."

Nodding, Lorelei called to him, "I'm Lorelei."

"I don't care who ya are, I'm the important one." Sindri kept walking, the blade of his axe shining like a lighthouse beacon as he entered the sun. By the time Lorelei had exited the cave after him, Sindri had disappeared back into his work. Though the dwarves were on guard, they did not stop their daily routines simply for the fear that a sea dragon might come to their doorstep.

As the second month began, Lorelei grew tired of being scoffed at and returned to the mountain peaks of his youth behind the dwarven mountain. He sighed contentedly at the familiar hammer strikes, gruff calls over the sounds of work, and the occasional chatter of children. All the liveliness the humans lacked still lingered here. He loathed having mixed feelings about what he considered his family, but he couldn't bear trying to stop another ship from leaving port only to have them laugh in his face and comment that he was 'worrying too much'. It was as if they had become as blind as his clan to the immense expanse of graveyard they now were in possession of.

He would still visit Sascha and Florian during the day, but would tend to avoid both the docks and the streets. He made his trips outside as brief as possible and either hid inside the Bed and Breakfast or within the four walls of Sascha's home. Things between Florian and the dragon were tense, but they still interacted normally enough that Lorelei saw no reason to distance himself from him. Florian muttered a soft apology and Lorelei accepted which led to the two of them silently agreeing to move on. The dragon made note that he never saw Florian even serve anyone alcohol after their interaction and it pleased him.

When the two men questioned Lorelei about his recent change in scenery, Lorelei explained his return to the dwarven mountains as a better vantage point for watching over Ferreus' lair. Though it was clear that neither man was pleased with the answer, they did not speak out against it. It may not have been the real reason, but it was true. From Lorelei's childhood perch, he could easily see the stretch of shoreline that Ferreus called home. He was almost certain that the tiny cave had never existed two hundred years ago, but with no one around to help him confirm this theory he was left only wondering how much he could rely on his memory.

Two weeks into the second month, and the first ship sank. It appeared to be an accident, and most on the ship made it home. It seemed rocks had just sprang out of nowhere, they said. They'd traveled these waters all their lives, and yet there was a rock formation none of them had ever seen before and which had almost certainly not been there moments before they crashed into it. They managed to laugh it off as a bad accident. A few days later it happened again. They tried to laugh it off once more, but it was clear that fewer believed it to be mere happenstance. A few more days and it happened again. Sascha pulled Lorelei aside to whisper the rocks were new occurrences -- his map was entirely flawless and these stones had never existed before. Lorelei resisted the urge to toss in a childish "I told you so".

This happened a total of five times and then things grew eerily calm again. When the men finally felt safe enough to set sail again, the rock formations they'd made note of had mysteriously disappeared. Lorelei watched as they constructed new ships and frowned as they set sail on older ones in spite of the warnings he continued to issue.

The third month started with rain. A gentle shower began the first morning as the ships set out and by the end of the week that they made their return the winds howled and thunder seemed to shake the very earth. Lorelei soared over the tumultuous waves as the ships struggled to make their way home. They were violently tossed back and forth and Lorelei struggled to see through the thick droplets and blinding bolts of lightning whizzing past his head. He scanned the waters for Ferreus but could not glimpse even a slight shimmer of the scales in the uproar. Before he had given up the search, an entire ship sank beneath the water almost as if it had never existed at all. It hadn't capsized nor had it hit any obstacle -- it was simply there one moment and then gone the next. Lorelei could barely make out the outline of it beneath the waves as it was pulled under.

As the other crews scrambled about trying to keep themselves afloat, Lorelei dove towards the freezing waves and plunged inside. Eyes wide in the icy water, he frantically searched around looking for survivors. If there were any men to find, they were well hidden. Even his eyes struggled to pierce the dark underwater and as he went to resurface, a second ship was taken under next to him. It was sucked in with such force that it rocketed Lorelei in the opposite direction, causing him to smash into the side of the final ship as it crashed into the waters as well. Disoriented, Lorelei struggled to remember which way was the surface and to disentangle himself from the wreckage of the ship he had collided with. In a panic, he managed to follow the shimmer of lightning up above and get his head above water. Beating his wings wildly allowed him to stay in a position that kept him from drowning. Yet after a few minutes, he was no longer in need of fighting the storm to stay afloat. As the ships vanished from Lorelei's view, the waves began to calm and the rain slowly thinned. After a few more minutes passed, the storm clouds had faded and revealed the calm night sky. With the light of the moon above, Lorelei started staring into the depths searching for anyone or anything. With a great lungful of air, he sped back into the waters and dove as deep as he could. His body was not made for swimming and his wings were more a hindrance than anything else. No matter how deep he went, how wide his eyes, or how diligently he searched he came up with nothing.

For hours Lorelei scoured the ocean, never reaching its floor, desperate to save even one life. By the time the sun came up, his body ached in every muscle, his eyes burned with salt, and his throat felt parched and raw from guzzling down so much sea water and his repeated screams for someone to reply. His eyes swept across the shore where a crowd had gathered. He was unsure how long the people had been watching him, but at its head were the families of the crews waiting for good news. Waiting for any news. The only information Lorelei had to give was the stuff of nightmares. He could not bear to hear the pain of dozens of broken hearts. He forced himself again into the waters, aided at last by the sun's light to see further than before, but still he came up with nothing for his efforts. When he resurfaced again he screamed. The water around him rippled as he thrashed about in a rage, screaming for Ferreus to surface and face him and to face the families of those he'd stolen loved ones from. But the sea remained silent, still, and unnervingly calm. He longed to swim towards the shore away from the fishing village and not face them. He desired nothing more than to lose himself in the sound of steel being forged and drunken bar song, but obligation led his tired body to the docks. He transformed as he reached the pier and two sets of arms reached out to grab him and hoist him onto the rickety wood. He lay on his stomach stretched out across the dock and focused on his breathing. Already he could feel the crowd advancing on his tired form and the men who had pulled him from the water struggled to hold them back. When Lorelei looked up he recognized them as two of the men he'd convinced to not travel by ship a couple months back. His ears were assailed with people screaming questions at him. Where were their sons? Their husbands? Their brothers? Where were the ships? What happened? Could he find any survivors?

Unable to find a right way to answer, he simply lowered his head again and took the blessing of being dripping wet to allow himself tears. How many times could he fail these people? He had tried warning them repeatedly, but perhaps he had not been plain enough? He understood their desperation, but were not their lives worth so much more than this? He wished to stand and walk away but he could not find the energy to lift himself and turned his head instead that he might cry freely against the splintering wood. Three entire ships sucked into the waves like a man in quicksand. They had not been buffeted by the waves into overturning but simply been pulled down one by one. He could not puzzle it out as majick that made sense to him. He was still mulling it over as another set of hands pulled him up onto his knees. His tired eyes met the dulled gaze of Florian who spoke no words to him but tried with all his might to lift the old dragon into a standing position. Lorelei allowed himself to be half-dragged through the crowd even as they still barraged him with questions. They somehow made it past them all and into the Bed and Breakfast where Florian promptly locked the door behind them.

After propping Lorelei up on a stool at the bar, he vanished for several moments before returning with Sascha at his side. While Florian prepared Lorelei tea, Sascha came to the dragon and began wrapping him in towels. Lorelei stood motionless, hands barely keeping hold of the stool to steady himself. He stared blankly at the tea cup set in front of him as if unsure what it was or what he should do with it. After a couple of minutes, his hands shakily reached out for the cup and cradled it between them for warmth he did not actually need. Though he appreciated the concern, he was in no danger of freezing to death. The cold had not been an issue, but his energy was spent and his body was weak. He enjoyed the warmth the cup provided, but it was luxury rather than necessity. Without drinking his tea, he shuffled towards the rooms of the inn. Sascha came up beside him and helped him walk and he quietly leaned his weight into the young boy, nodding his head in thanks to Sascha as they moved into a room with Florian's blessing. He had barely undressed when he collapsed in the bed and slept deeply. 

*~*~*~*

Lorelei slept, unmoving, for a week. In that time Sascha and Florian took turns watching over him and the Bed and Breakfast. Through the walls they could hear the scraping of shovels against the earth as graves were dug. Even though they tended the restaurant, no one visited. Bodies continued to be hauled out of the water and Ferreus was tossing the broken ships onto the shore like a monument to his accomplishments. There were ships from years ago with corpses still trapped inside the hull or tangled in the shrouds. Men worked together untangling the mess of half-rotten flesh and trying to identify the bodies based on clothing more often that actual facial features. Well over half of these men were unrecognizable anymore. Women and children who managed to finally stop grieving found their hearts once again in their throats with a body to bury at last and a grave to mourn beside. For some, it was therapeutic to have the closure, but for most it was a stark reminder that the sea was no longer their home. The stacks of ruined ships became its own mountain on the shore and they were unsure how to handle its removal. When Lorelei's eyes opened at last and he gazed out the window, the monstrous construction was the first thing he saw.

He felt nauseous and lost and could not handle the constant sounds of scraping shovels. He rose from the bed at last, still feeling sore and parched, and dressed himself in clean garments. When he strode out into the restaurant, Sascha hesitantly reached to embrace him and Lorelei motioned that it was alright to do so. The human face buried itself deep into Lorelei's beard and clung to him desperately. "I was worried about you."

In the background Lorelei noticed Florian already preparing food for him and as he pulled away from the embrace, he asked in a raspy voice for water. Sascha at once scrambled away to bring back a jug of water while Lorelei settled into a booth rather than the bar. He let his head loll back and his eyes close. Even as Sascha set the water in front of him, he remained in this position, trying to find peace enough to pray. Sascha blissfully let him do so and when Florian joined them with food Lorelei was finished. His neck throbbed painfully on one side as he raised his head again. He placed one hand to his neck and tried to massage the tension away, stretching his arm past the food and reaching instantly for the jug and drinking deeply until there was nothing left. He could almost feel bits of sand or salt being loosened as he drank.

It was Florian who spoke first and it was the first time Lorelei noticed how silver his hair had gotten, matching Lorelei's scales when in dragon form. There was hardly any of the dark locks left and his once bright blue eyes looked instead to be tarnished. The light inside had been long since snuffed out. Somehow, failing Adelaide's own son hurt more than failing the entire village. He was thankful that neither man commented on the tears he knew were leaving his eyes and instead he buried himself in his meal while listening to Florian speak. He told the dragon how long he had been resting and how the graveyard had grown. He explained that no one had seen Ferreus even now, but the sea dragon kept tossing their broken ships onto the shore just to mock them for trying to enter his sea. Slowly, he warned Lorelei that the senseless death would not cease. The men were determined to continue fishing. Their logic was flawed in that they assumed the more ships they sent out, the higher the chances of success. After all, "he can't sink us all!"

Though Florian finished speaking before Lorelei finished eating, he did not respond until his plate was cleared. He sat in silence for a while, patting his mouth with a napkin, and then slowly inched out of the seat. He inclined his head in thanks for the food. "I'm going back to sleep. I will see you in the morning."

The pair of them stared dumbfounded as the dragon walked away, straight back to his room, and didn't move until they'd heard his door snap shut. Together they cleared the table in silence and then sat at the bar for a few moments before Sascha finally swore under his breath and retreated into the back. When he returned it was with a gallon of ale that he placed in front of Florian. At once his eyes darted towards the room Lorelei rested in.

"Sascha, I ca--"

"Shut up. We all need a drink right now." Sascha unstoppered the jug and began drinking as though the contents were mere water. When finished he shoved the container into Florian's hands and stared at him. "I'll protect you from the scary dragon, eh? Just drink."

Together they finished the jug but did not speak with each other. They both turned over the week's events in their heads and let the alcohol loosen their apprehensions about the coming days ahead. If Lorelei were to give up, all hope was lost in its entirety. Was surrender where they were heading? Sascha's hand was the one to grab the bottle last and finish its contents. By then the world was blurred and slightly tilted to one side and, no matter how drunk, the boy was not blind to the man's tears beside him. He pretended to be for Florian's sake, but his heart went out to him. He understood the loss of parents, but he had never experienced loss when the people were still alive. There was no proper way to grieve. Instead he got shakily to his feet, clapping the older man on the back in what he hoped was a comforting way, and staggered out the door into the street. As he walked back to his home the stench of the dead grew stronger but his senses seemed numbed to it as compared to before. The sounds of shoveling had stopped for the day and every home had its curtains drawn. Aside from those still working around Shipwreck Mountain, there was no one else outside. No children playing, no women gossiping, only men saying goodbye and working through their heartaches. Sascha was glad to finally be in his home, shutting his door to the world, and joined the village in closing his own curtains before crawling into bed to rest.

*~*~*~*

As it transpired, Lorelei arose before the sun and prepared his own meal before Florian had left his own bed. He noted the empty jug on the counter but said nothing when Florian joined him and quietly cleared it away. Lorelei motioned for Florian to sit with him and eat. "I made enough for both of us." Grateful, but on edge, Florian joined him at the bar and let the clinking of silverware be the only sound in the room for several long minutes. Finally Lorelei spoke but did not look at Florian as he did, "I'm sorry I couldn't save your father, Florian." Florian stopped mid-bite and stared over at Lorelei who was staring down his half-finished plate of food. "I'm sorry I could not have not known about Cerise to warn you. I never anticipated..."

"Lorelei." Florian set aside his silverware and placed a hand over Lorelei's shoulder. "I don't blame you for anything. My entire life you've done nothing but look over me and my family. Hell, even before I was born you were there for me and mine." His hand squeezed firmly, and he forced a smile to hopefully comfort the young dragon. "Thank you. For everything."

Lorelei did not lift his head and so Florian's smile, even forced, was lost on him. He gave the smallest shake of his head and sighed. "I watched over all of you and yet I still failed everyone. I hoped by sleeping again the sight I saw outside the window would be gone, but..." He shrugged, causing Florian's hand to fall away. "It remains there still. Ferreus taunting me for caring too much. For being weak." The shoulders slumped and the silver eyes closed. "I'm so sorry, Florian. If I had found him sooner, perhaps the clan would still be here. Perhaps I could convince them to do something. Perhaps --"

"You know they would have done nothing." Florian interrupted. "They didn't care to intervene. They spent twenty or more years lying to you and your own sister couldn't bear to tell you the truth until she was fleeing to save her own miserable life." The human stood and began gathering their plates. "I'm on your side, Lorelei. I always have been. I know I cannot do much, but if nothing else I can remind you that you are no failure. How could you be when you're still here? Still fighting. Unlike the worthless family who left you behind."

He disappeared from the room, letting Lorelei steep in his words for a spell. When Florian returned the dragon was sitting up straighter, meeting his eyes finally, and speaking directly to him rather than the bar. "Thank you, Florian. But please -- I do not retract the apology. I wish I could have been there to save your father and spare your mother the broken heart." He rose from his seat, flattening his beard with his hands. "I have something I would like to do this morning. If Sascha comes calling, tell him I'll be back by nightfall."

Florian nodded and cautiously asked, "Where will you be?"

With a sad smile, he answered while walking out the door. "Visiting Adelaide."

*~*~*~*

The graveyard smelled strongly of freshly tilled dirt and rotting wood. In a strange way, though the skies were clear, the air was heavy with the scent of freshly fallen rain and the meaty bodies of worms who thrived out in the open in such weather. The path to Adelaide was longer than before with names Lorelei had not heard spoken aloud in years etched into freshly carved stone. He ignored, as best he was able, the pangs of guilt as he passed them and inclined his head politely to those he passed along the way. Some stared after him as he walked. Were they accusatory stares or curious ones? Were they questioning to whom the dragon came to pay a visit to in these dark times?

He eventually found her with fresh flowers placed over the grass she rested under. Though perhaps he was biased, Lorelei could not help but think Adelaide's grave bore the greenest blades compared to the others surrounding her. At first he stood, facing the stone, but realized it was not to a hunk of rock with which he wished to speak. So he slowly knelt upon the ground and lowered himself to lay beside her, staring at the clouds drifting lazily by. How strange that the world had felt so gray when it was truthfully bright and beautiful out this morning. For the first time in what felt like years, Lorelei could clearly hear birdsong again and the scent of the sod beneath him smelled sweet and welcoming, by far out-powering the stench of rotten boards and newly turned earth. He breathed in deep and held it, savoring what felt like a distant memory. Nostalgia overtook his thoughts and he thought back to lazy days with Adelaide teaching her to speak Draconic and applauding her quick wit. He recalled how proud he had been of her and sharing in Clara's joy with every achievement her daughter made. When Adelaide bore her only child, they rejoiced together. Though Florian had both his parents available to him as a baby, Lorelei was an equal caregiver in conjunction with them. When Adelaide had needed him at the end, Lorelei had abandoned her. He left her to mourn alone and he should have been there. He had failed the family for the first time that day and every day since.

"Forgive me, Adelaide." he whispered to the stillness around him. The sun warmed his eyelids and he could have sworn, if only for a brief moment, he smelled Adelaide's presence with him. He dared not open his eyes for fear she would leave. "Forgive me for not grieving with you. I feared you would find me weak if you had seen me weep, but truthfully I was weak for not being at your side. I have not hidden my tears since I realized this, though it still troubles me not to try."

Maybe it was his imagination, but he was so certain Adelaide was grasping his hand next to him. He could even picture her radiant smile as she listened to his words. He turned his head in what he thought would be her direction but did not open his eyes. "Forgive me for failing Florian. He looks to me as a father and I fear I have been anything but the strong role model he needs in your husband's absence. I did not mean to contribute to the brokenness of his heart." He felt the tears and almost at once felt the gentle touch of invisible fingers wiping them away from his cheeks. "In truth, Adelaide, I would likely have left years ago if not for your memory. I owe much of my heart and my compassion to you. Thank you. I hope, in future, to be better."

Falling silent, he let the tears flow freely, maintaining their strange reunion with closed eyes. The sun's rays felt comforting rather than oppressive and the birdsong was soothing. Though it seemed like he might be sleeping, he was listening and he was waiting. He did not expect her to speak, but hoped that she might. Did he anticipate that she might offer forgiveness? In a way, it felt as if she already had. Perhaps that was why his shoulders felt suddenly far lighter than before. When no verbal answer came, he let a smile slowly pass over his features and nodded gently. "Thank you, Adelaide. I will be better."

With the opening of his eyes, the scent dispersed and the touch of her hand on his was gone. All that remained was the soft grass, the sweet song of birds overhead, and the lightness in his chest. He continued resting alongside her for a while until he felt sure the morning had ended. As he left the graveyard, the foul scents no longer seemed to bother him and his feet carried him to Sascha's doorstep. Sascha was still snoozing in bed, snoring gently, curtains drawn when Lorelei entered. Rather than announce himself, Lorelei instantly went to the windows and threw the curtains wide. Sascha scrambled out of bed, frightened, until he realized who was inside his home. "What are you doing?" he mumbled, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"The day is beautiful, Sascha." His eyes gazed out at the cheery sky and a real smile graced his features. "It would be a shame to waste it in the dark, don't you agree?"

Sascha blinked dumbly in the sunlight, slightly dumbfounded with the sudden behavior change. "L-Lorelei? I mean, yes, the sky is beautiful right now. I just don't --"

Lorelei had already crossed the room to him, pulling Sascha into an embrace and kissing away the confusing jumble of words that were tumbling from his lips. One moment they were on their feet and the next they were both curled against each other in the unmade bed with sunlight stretching over their melding forms. Sascha's confused expression relaxed as he gave in to the moment, fingers gripping at Lorelei just as intensely as the dragon was kissing him now. The chill sent shivers through Sascha who kept having to pull away and catch his breath, exhaling small clouds of mist as if the room were made of ice each time. Time meant nothing as they got lost in one another rather than the never ending corridors of their minds. Lorelei knew Sascha had to be as tired as he was of hypothetical scenarios ending in increasingly morbid dead ends. At least, in this space, they were at peace.

They finished within a couple of hours with time to spare to enjoy the sunshine. Sascha was torn between wanting to remain curled against Lorelei and wanting to warm himself in the sunlight while he still had the chance. His body glistened red as though he had been standing naked in snowfall for hours, but he seemed oddly pleased all the same. Lorelei gently wrapped him in blankets, apologizing for the chill but smiling all the same. They moved the table beside the window with the most sunlight pouring in and seated Sascha in its glow. They spent time talking back and forth over Sascha's maps, about Lorelei's siblings, and about their favorite songs they'd heard from travelling bards. Once Sascha could feel his fingertips again, they redressed themselves and ventured into the sun. Sascha's eyes lingered briefly on Shipwreck Mountain, but Lorelei reached for his face and turned his head gently away. "Not today, Sascha. Another time."

They walked along the shore towards the dwarven mountain where, as usual, the dwarves warmly welcomed new visitors. They presented Sascha the option of drinking their finest mead and Lorelei spoke for him saying they would be more than happy to try some. Rather than hide in the bar, they sat out in the sand with flagons in hand chatting merrily with the dwarves who were more than willing to quit their work for the day. Still wearing dirty aprons covered in soot and scorch marks, they sang their hearts out and laughed louder still. Lorelei recognized the glint in Sascha's eyes as the one he likely had as a hatchling marveling at the lively creatures from above. As the sun slowly began to set, other dwarves joined them and shared stories of their youth and, a few older fellows, shared a few that Lorelei remembered being present for. A couple women had an embarrassing story or two of Lorelei from his younger years when he was too embarrassed to leave the mountain peak that brought a true smile to Sascha's features. Leaving Sascha in good hands, Lorelei walked to the water's edge and stared out across the sea. The sounds of music, playful banter, and never-ending storytelling were the first true glimpses of normalcy Lorelei could remember in some thirty or forty years. It felt familiar and safe to him. Even the sea could not ruin such a perfect night.

Looking to the stars, he uttered a soft thank you to Adelaide and a softer prayer to the Platinum Dragon. Even if it was only one day, it was a much needed one.

From behind him he heard footsteps crunching in the sand and glanced down to see Sindri at his side. Lorelei raised his mostly empty flagon to the dwarf in greeting, but noted that Sindri's hands were empty and his face was hard like stone.

"What are ya doin', lad?" he said without looking up at him.

"Finding respite," Lorelei replied, taking another drink of mead.

Sindri sighed, staring out across the waters with an unreadable expression. "It won't last. This will all be here tomorrow."

Lorelei smirked, passing the remnants of his flagon to him. "Exactly. So let us enjoy this now while we can."

The seconds stretched on and for one long moment Lorelei thought he would refuse, but at long last Sindri shrugged and chugged the remainder of the flagon before shoving the empty container back into Lorelei's stomach. "I can drink to that, dragon."

He turned and walked back to the cave before Lorelei could say anymore. He followed his footsteps back to the beach where he rejoined with Sascha, sharing kisses despite the stench of alcohol on both their breaths, and finished the night off strong. They could worry about the end of the world in the morning.


	6. Part Six

Lorelei woke to the sounds of snoring that he was thankful were not his own. His clothes were damp and encrusted with sand and salt. Curled against the curve of his own body was Sascha, still fast asleep. It was a sight that pleased him, but the surrounding drunken dwarves he could have done without. They laid in heaps around them like living hairy hills across the beach. Gently, Lorelei shook Sascha and pressed a finger against the boy's lips to urge him into silence. They shook off what little sand they could from their clothes and set off down the shore towards the fishing village. Once they were out of earshot from waking any of the cranky dwarves, Lorelei whispered that Sascha should admire the sky. Their pace slowed and together they attempted to point out constellations they learned in their youth.

Sascha eventually asked Lorelei what had sparked the sudden spontaneity and Lorelei blushed, running one hand through his beard. "I visited Adelaide this morning. She helped me find a little clarity in the chaos. I don't know if you'll believe me, but it was as if we were actually face-to-face."

They strode in silence for a while, fingers entwined, before Sascha finally answered. "Not everything needs an answer, right? I may not understand, but I'm thankful we managed to enjoy at least one day."

"We could do this again tomorrow," Lorelei mused. "I can't find Ferreus. There's nothing we can do without more information." The pair stopped walking while Lorelei gazed out to sea. "We aren't the only ones who need a brief respite. Florian's been empty for a long time. I would hope to help him feel full again."

Sascha released Lorelei's hand, kneeling in the sand to stare at the sea at eye-level. "I have an idea, but... I feel like I would need Florian's blessing to go through with it."

He knelt with the human, letting his fingers be brushed by the foam of lapping waves. "Go on."

Sascha explained that he wanted to visit Florian's children and speak with them face-to-face without their mother present. He wanted to present to them the Florian that he had known for the past ten years and how much he longed to see them once more. Though his heart seemed in the right place, Lorelei couldn't help but feel it would be a dead end. Dragging his fingers through the wet sand, he finally shook his head to himself. What could it hurt? Florian had already lost all else in his life -- if nothing else, he might stand at least something to gain from Sascha's interference.

He gave a nod to Sascha. "I give you my blessing in his place. He has nothing left to lose but so much to gain."

His smile warmed Lorelei's heart and he knew he'd made the right choice. They stood up straight again, grasping one another's hands once more, and finished the journey to Sascha's home. When Lorelei made to leave him at the doorstep, Sascha stopped him with a hand around his waist. "Please, Lorelei. Stay with me tonight?" He glanced to the sky, frowning slightly. "We've spent most of it together already and only a few hours remain anyway."

Lorelei turned and Sascha's hand fell away as he watched Lorelei walk past him and into the home. With a relieved sigh, he shut and locked the door and joined the dragon for a few more hours of rest.

*~*~*~*

They awoke with the sun, one waking the other with a few early morning stretches beneath the sheets. They spared a few moments whispering back and forth across the pillows before Lorelei finally hauled himself out of bed and prepared to leave. Behind him Sascha asked if Lorelei knew the names of Florian's children.

"Karina and Sebastian. They should look nearly identical." Lorelei turned, watching Sascha ready himself for the day. "Are you confident in your plan?"

Sascha rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, the other fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. "I am hopeful, which I'm not quite sure is the same."

Lorelei smiled. "You have given me hope more times than I can count. I will trust in your hope, then." They parted ways outside the village with Sascha travelling to the forest of the wood elves and Lorelei wandering once more to the dwarven mountains. A few of the dwarves were stirring on the shore, their beards filled with sand. Those that could see straight waved good naturedly to Lorelei who nodded in return. The only dwarf working carried a glimmering axe on his back and Lorelei managed to briefly catch his eye. Sindri did not wave, but grunted as Lorelei passed which the dragon supposed was good enough for now.

Standing dutifully guarding the cave of Ferreus were two female dwarves armed to the teeth and dressed in shining adamantine armor. Though they acknowledged Lorelei's presence, they did so silently and never left their post. Lorelei knew better than to waste time trying to speak with them. Much like the dwarf who had led him here, he expected that they would not speak. He strode past them to the water's edge, staring down into the depths. No movement, but that did not mean Ferreus was not present. Lorelei let one foot slowly slip into the water and waited, but still nothing. The silver eyes instead scanned the distance in the hopes of catching sight of the sea dragon out beyond the reach of dwarven steel.

"Ferreus!" Lorelei called, letting his other foot slide into the salt water.

Several minutes passed. Nothing. Discouraged, but unsurprised, Lorelei stepped back onto the beach and nodded in farewell to the dwarves who continued guarding in silence. He returned to Sindri and noted that several dwarves had finally begun the day's work even if there were still snoozing dwarves dotting the shore like beached whales. The old dwarf glanced up at him through bushy graying eyebrows but did not stop his task to chat.

"Sindri, have any of your people checked inside Ferreus' cave?" Lorelei asked, arms crossed behind his back.

The dwarf scoffed, all but rolling his eyes at the dragon. "No, none of my people seem very interested in a suicide mission."

"He has abandoned his cave," Lorelei explained.

"Oh, and I suppose ya knocked on the front door, now, did ya?" Sindri glowered up at him. "Look, how tall do I look to ya?"

Lorelei's eyebrows knitted together, staring down at the dwarf. "Pardon?"

"How tall do I look to ya, dragon?" Sindri said, finally pausing in his work to make eye contact. "Come on now, a smart lizard like yerself should be good with numbers."

Exasperated, Lorelei let his arms fall to his sides and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, probably a little over four feet tall."

Sindri leaned over his work station closer to Lorelei. "And what does that make me?"

"...short?"

"A DWARF." Sindri snapped at him. He began resuming his work. "I just wanted to make sure I didn't look like your human friends across the way. Ya seem to think we're as idiotic as they are and toss ourselves into the ocean even with knowing a fat sea bastard is lurking there to kill for fun. Even with ya warnin' em for years..." The dwarf paused again to scratch at his chin through his braided beard. "Yanno, watching them these past few years, I'm beginning to wonder if humans actually could live as long as the common dwarf if they weren't so damn stupid. They probably shorten their own lifespans."

Lorelei's anger left him unable to speak, but Sindri wasn't wrong. Months and months he had spent warning the people about Ferreus and it seemed to make them all the more determined to throw themselves into the sea.

"Look, if'n ya want to check it out for yourself, by all means -- feel free. I'll not be sending any of my men down into the lair of a sea beast myself." He took both hands and beat the front of his chest once, "We're not made to float, ya see. Sink like boulders. Every last one of us."

With a sigh, Lorelei turned to go. "Very well. Let me know if anything new happens."

He half hoped that Sindri would call him back and perhaps impart some shred of wisdom on him before he could leave the shore entirely. The call did not come and instead he heard the sounds of the dwarf hard at work again. Lorelei's feet carried him to the edge of the sea and he hesitated for a moment, looking in the direction of the cave. He could go into the cave alone and see what information might be lying about to Ferreus' weaknesses or strengths, perhaps lay a trap, or get stupidly caught in one himself. His thoughts returned to the night he had tried to save the three ships sailing through the storm. Though his wings were strong, they were a liability beneath the waves. More than help keep him afloat, they seemed more inclined to help pull him under into the darkness. For now, he would hold off on lone voyages into the water.

With nothing else to do, Lorelei set off across the warm sand to the human village. Though Lorelei had managed to pull Sascha out of the slump that had befallen the other humans, he could see the other people were still resolute in their depression. A large group of men, young and old, were working on the debris of Shipwreck Mountain. Tattered sails, busted boards, rusted nails, and snapped ropes littered this part of the shore as Lorelei worked his way over to them. Rather than offer to help, he stood off to the side and watched them as they worked. He offered up soft prayers whenever a new body was unearthed in the wreckage and watched as men began trying to identify the corpses by their bloated and discolored remains. Even with distorted facial features from swelling, most of the older men could recognize a lost friend. Lorelei noted the paled faces and the barely contained tears as their mourning resumed and fears of what fate had befallen old friends became confirmed.

It was a sight he took in for well over an hour and, while watching them, it was hard to quell the rage Lorelei felt that they would continue to leave port to continue causing this pain to others. They could clearly see the cost of their actions and, despite his words, seldom would anyone heed them. Yet, Lorelei remained quietly standing. He held his tongue, continued his whispered prayers, and offered kind words to the men who took notice of him nearby. His eyes locked on the two men from the night at sea who had helped hoist him out of the water and he nodded respectfully to them. The looks in their eyes showed that at least the two of them understood and would not dare venture out to sea until Ferreus was gone. They comprehended the danger and the weight and, if nothing else, it gave Lorelei hope that eventually others would see and do the same.

After they dislodged half of a ship, Lorelei wandered around to the graveyard and watched the groups of new mourners at freshly dug graves. His rage quieted here and he held his breath hoping to catch the feeling of Adelaide's presence on the air. It did not come, but with his expectation came instead a small feeling of guilt. All this time he had wasted hiding and feeding his fury, he should have instead walked among the people and tried to understand how they felt. He could yell at them for literal years as he had already been doing and achieve nothing, or he could truly come down to their level and try to fathom the gravity of the situation. Though he had left his mountain peak to walk among them, perhaps his mind was no different than the clan he had chased away.

As he stood among the people and did not make the effort to detach from their feelings or to retreat into his own, he suddenly began to understand why they drifted off to sea even in spite of his warnings. It was precisely because of why he loved them so much. Their lives were short. If they did not journey to the sea to keep the lives of their wives and children going, then who would? Much like Lorelei needed to go to the mountain, they needed to return to the sea. In a way, Lorelei was blessed to have the easier burden. At least his journey was only one he had to make once and, though dangerous to challenge his elder, it had never been a situation where Lorelei believed he would lose his life.

The people lived fleeting lives and, much like everything else, they made sure to do as much as possible with every moment. Their determination, not their ignorance, drove them back into the ocean time and time again so that they might continue to live on for years to come. The old men went out in order to prevent the young men from having to, but in the current situation there weren't enough older men to do so. The young ones had to join in or else there were not enough hands working on deck, helping bring up the nets and manage the ship. Though there were indeed some poor choices made among the human men, it was not entirely idiocy or disrespect for Lorelei that took them away from their families. It was their devotion and that was something the dragon could respect. He silently cursed his blindness due to his emotions and hoped that he would have the time to make this up to his people.

His eyes scanned over the tombstones. Names of children he'd watched grow into men etched across some and the names of the children they'd fathered who had either starved to death or helped work the ships across others. The names of women who had fallen ill with worry, with lack of nutrition, or simply grieved themselves to the other side early were also written upon the stones. Though before the graveyard had simply been a calm inevitability, it now was a looming weight on all who happened to pass by. He heard the rapid whispers of two men holding shovels lamenting the lack of space to expand. Would they need to start burning bodies? Would the families let them? They seemed unsure how to proceed and Lorelei, at a loss for the customs of men and their dead, had no means of guiding them.

Hesitantly, he approached a small family gathered around a freshly covered grave. Two small children clung to either side of her dirty skirt and Lorelei noted the protruding bump beneath the clothes she wore. He realized he did not know her name, nor the name on the stone. Had he been yelling at the people for so long that he had forgotten to communicate with them and learn who they were? Once he had known everyone so intimately. He had lost who he was in the buzz of fear inside of him. He extended his hand to her, introducing himself politely before offering an apology for her loss. The woman seemed for a moment like she would fake a smile and thank him, but instead let out a long-suffering sigh and nodded instead. "I told him not to go. I'd heard ya before...warnin' people not to be out there." She shrugged helplessly. "I had never met ya, but I trusted ya. I wish more did."

He watched her eyes sweep over the graveyard, filling with tears as they did so. "I'm the last adult left of my family. I'm all these little ones have got." Though she didn't mention her unborn baby, one hand slowly moved to rest against her stomach. "I never would have stayed here under the circumstances, but my husband wanted to. Always dreamed of being the fisherman his father was. To him it was an adventure to rival any heroes the bards sing about." She smiled through her tears. "Honestly, I think the idea of a sea dragon was probably more excitin' to him than he let on about." She looked deeply into Lorelei's silver eyes, smile fading. "Lorelei, keep speakin' to these people. I've lost too many friends and family. The place feels like a ghost of what it once was. I used to have to beg the children to come inside from playing, but now I have to beg them to go out. Children shouldn't have to be afraid to be themselves..."

Slowly, Lorelei inclined his head. "You have my word. I will not give up on any of you. This is my home."

At that, she smiled, and roughly wiped her eyes dry. "It was an honor meetin' ya, Mister Dragon. I can't truly be afraid while knowin' you're still around."

They parted ways and Lorelei made his rounds through the graveyard. He spoke with people he had avoided for years simply from his aggravation and misunderstanding alone. If he had spoken with them rather than demanding of them to follow orders, perhaps he would have understood sooner. Perhaps they could have worked together and prevented the graveyard from extending so far. His youth and lack of tact had betrayed him and he vowed to learn from this and be better in the future -- conversation was top priority. The humans he spoke with all seemed thankful for the interaction with the silver dragon, regardless of whether they had ever personally met him or not. Lorelei recognized adults as former children by the lingering freckles across their noses or the lingering boyish roundness to some faces -- many little things stuck out to him. Though he may not know the names of some, by these traits he could pick out who was from what family he had been close to in the past.

By the time he had reached what most considered the Old Graveyard, afternoon had come and nearly gone. Adelaide's tombstone caught his eye here. Her grave was one of the last to be part of the Old Graveyard before they'd begun extending the fences and pushing further back into the land behind the village. His eyes lingered there, waiting to sense her, but he left before feeling anything. Adelaide had already done her part and need not visit again. She had reminded Lorelei why he was here: both why he came and why he stayed. His heart belonged to these people and, though he had many times before, he did not plan to fail them again.

As he made his way through the streets, he noticed that a few of the homes that had once had closed curtains in the windows had opened them up once more. It brought a faint smile to his lips and rather than rush away from the streets as he had been prone to do as of late, he instead milled about with the few men who still lingered outside. Though no one was prepping ships for departure, there were still plenty of men of varying ages working hard to dismantle the shipwrecks Ferreus had tossed upon the shore. It was taxing work not only physically, but emotionally. Lorelei could tell that they were drained more heavily in the heart and mind than in their splintered hands and aching backs. He gently encouraged as many as he could to join him at the Bed and Breakfast and to enjoy a warm meal. It was time to get out of the sun and find a moment to relax. To his surprise, most followed his advice and abandoned their task. The others said they would catch up soon.

It was strange that so simple an act as being present had made such a difference in the demeanor of the villagers, but as Lorelei entered it was to see Florian working frantically to serve tables that had been empty for months now. He had become unaccustomed to the rush of actual customers, but it seemed he was pleased to have something to do. Without being prompted, Lorelei joined his old friend behind the bar, slinging on a tattered apron, and joined him in serving the people. In time someone began playing music which added to the overall feel of comfort in the dining area. Lorelei looked out across the tables and at the faces gathered around them. Their smiles were fragile, but they were there. The laughter trembled in their throats, but it was laughter all the same. He recognized a few from the graveyard earlier and they caught his eye with a small glimmer in their eyes. It was the beginning of something and Lorelei felt he was where he should have been all along.

When Sascha finally arrived, it was well into the night. The men from the shore had had a few flagons by that point and were singing badly along with the music, but the joy was genuine. It had been so long since the dragon had seen children giggling with one another, but a few danced along with the drunken song of their fathers and older brothers. Before the sight could fully register in Sascha's mind, Lorelei had already seen the crestfallen look in his lover's eyes. It seemed the meeting with Florian's children had not gone as well as hoped.

He waved Sascha over to the bar and leaned across it for a quick kiss before pushing a small cup of tea towards him. "Rest from your journey, I'll be with you in a moment." After checking in with Florian that he had everything under control, Lorelei removed the old apron and joined Sascha at his seat. Before Lorelei could ask about Florian's family, Sascha gestured around the room, eyebrow raised.

"What happened while I was away?"

Lorelei laughed, feeling both embarrassed but pleased. "I simply spoke with them. It isn't much, but it's a start. Even for a single night, I am thankful they could feel this way again."

Even with packed tables, the lights and music were drawing in a crowd of people from the homes beyond the front door. They seemed confused and asked people they knew if there was some news they had missed. When they realized nothing had truly changed, they seemed at a loss for words. But the mood was infectious and even they gave in and joined the festivities. It was enough of a new rush that Sascha abandoned his tea and joined Lorelei behind the bar once more to help cater to them all.

The room did not empty until late into the night at a time the Bed and Breakfast would usually be closed for dining. It wasn't for the want of money, as it seemed Florian had waived most fees for the night, but instead for the feeling. The hearts of the people who had stopped to visit left far lighter than when they had entered. As the three men cleared away the empty tables together, they talked jovially with one another and made jokes to pass the time. By the time the dining area was clean again, the night had given way to a very early morning and sleep hung heavy on the bags beneath their eyes. Rather than leave straight away, the three stood together talking as though the timeline had shifted. There was no sea dragon, there wasn't a Shipwreck Mountain, and the wall behind the inn wasn't an ever growing graveyard -- it was instead a peaceful moment where Lorelei could have his arm lazily wrapped around the man he loved and have conversation with a man he'd helped raise from birth. It felt like home again.

Florian never asked where the sudden rush of customers came from and so Lorelei did not bother to supply the information. As the suns slowly began rising, they yawned in unison and said their goodbyes. Normally men would already be awake and working on the shipwrecks along the shore, but today everyone seemed to be sleeping in. Instead the sound of seagulls soaring overhead and the gentle hush of the waves in the distance reached their ears. Without being asked, Lorelei joined Sascha to rest the morning away together, and he gladly let the human bury his face into his beard as they drifted off to sleep.

*~*~*~*

"They outright refused to listen to me!"

Lorelei's eyes followed the young man's path as he paced back and forth across the room. Sascha had been pacing most of the afternoon as he explained to the silver what had happened when he visited Karina and Sebastian in the woods.

"She wouldn't stop yelling and complaining the entire time I was there. She didn't seem to care for hearing anything I had to say."

"Emotions can be deafening, Sascha." Lorelei interjected. "Keep it in mind."

Sascha carried on speaking as though he had not been interrupted at all. "You would think she would be a little more respectful to a stranger who had traveled all that way just to talk to her."

Lorelei watched in slight amusement while the human circled once more around his table that was laden with quills, ink, and various books. Occasionally he'd bump his hip into the table's edge, releasing a string of unsavory words each time. Yet, the more he listened, the more a small fact began to dawn on him based on Sascha's words. As the human paced back in his direction, Lorelei raised his hand to halt him. "Sascha? What was Sebastian doing during your argument with Karina?"

The gray eyes, hard as stone one moment had suddenly gone soft in the confusion of Lorelei's question. "What?" he asked, ceasing his pacing for the first time since he'd begun speaking.

"You've only made mention of Florian's daughter being argumentative, but say nothing of his son speaking with you."

Sascha hesitated, blinking several times as though the thought had not occurred to him.

"Was Sebastian speaking at all?"

"Now that you mention it, beyond initial introductions...no." His eyebrows knitted together as he lapsed into deep thought. "Between Karina's yelling and my retaliating, he never got to speak at all."

Lorelei began to smile from his lounging position on the bed. "Do you happen to remember how he was reacting to Karina's words?"

The man slowly turned one of the chairs at the table around and took a seat, facing in the dragon's direction as he thought about his question. "I was so focused on trying to break through her stubbornness that I'm not entirely sure. I know he looked uncomfortable, but I just assumed it was from the two of us fighting."

"What about when you initially arrived and explained who you were and why you were there?"

The gray eyes scanned the floorboards as he returned to the moment in his mind. "Confused, at first. Then...surprised, I think? He was going to say something, but his sister interrupted and it went downhill from there."

As Lorelei rose to his feet, he clapped his hands together once while smiling triumphantly. "You've done excellent work, Sascha! I thank you." He began getting dressed while Sascha stared at him perplexed.

"Wait, are you leaving?"

Lorelei nodded as he tugged his robes over his head. "I need to reach Sebastian before he considers his sisters words in a more positive light."

Sascha slowly rose from his seat and began, "I...did I miss something?"

"It seems the siblings are not of the same mind. There might still be time to sway at least one side of what remains of Florian's family." Now fully dressed, Lorelei began striding to the door before stopping in his tracks and turning around to hug Sascha. "You should get dressed and join Florian at the Bed and Breakfast. If I'm correct, the crowd should return today and he'll need help with the rush." Sascha pulled back from the hug, nodding and bidding farewell as Lorelei returned to the door and set out to the woods.

As the dragon walked along in his human form, he recalled the last time he'd seen the woods. It had been the divide in what he consider two different timelines. The time of peace and the time of war. Where he'd given Florian the news of his father and knelt with him as he sobbed on the earth's floor. He could still remember the hardened eyes of the elves surrounding him -- as if by staring him down as one they could will him away. It wasn't until Cerise had fixed her gaze upon him that he had respectfully left their home.

The evening brought with it a chill that comforted Lorelei. Though he enjoyed the warmth of the sun, he felt most at home with a cold breeze on his side. He took this as a good omen as he entered into the trees and followed a path through the wood. His eyes took in the sights of the paper lanterns bobbing in the rustling branches as they slowly lit up one-by-one. He remembered watching them from above as a younger dragon and thinking of them as multicolored fireflies. As he proceeded forward, the air felt as though it had become stale. The trees, though vibrant and lively, somehow did not lessen the deadness he felt when stepping inside the clearing and glancing around at the homes that blended in almost effortlessly with the scenery.

His eyes scanned the area, seeking out anyone to speak to, but everyone was tucked away in their houses. Feeling slightly guilty for it, he approached several homes and took peeks within the windows long enough to gauge whether or not Florian's family might live there. He found Karina first, but did not knock upon the door, instead gazing at her through the open arch and admiring how she had grown. Though her hair was dark like her father's, he could sense a little of Adelaide in her facial features. It seemed she had inherited her grandmother's nose and her grandfather's strangely high cheekbones. The ears, though, marked her as Cerise's daughter. With a soft sigh, he turned quietly away from the window before he could be heard or spotted and resumed his search.

A few minutes later, in a more secluded dwelling, he spotted Sebastian seated at a table with a young woman that looked to be half-elf as well. His eyes looked tired even at a distance, his posture slumped, but the woman across from him seemed to be trying to cheer him up in her own gentle way. Lorelei hesitated in front of the door for several minutes, watching the pair of them, unsure if what he was doing were right or not. His thoughts returned to Florian, defeated and alone, and noted that Sebastian looked very much the same in this moment. With this thought in mind, his knuckles rapped smartly against the wooden door and he waited.

Within a few moments, the woman appeared at the door, looking confused. "Yes?" she said, barring entry into the home with her body.

"I would like to speak with Sebastian. I'm a friend of his family."

The woman made to shut the door, shaking her head slowly, "I'm sorry. We've had enough visitors for now." At her side, Sebastian appeared and began widening the door so that Lorelei might step past her. Without a word, she relented to his wishes and stepped aside and Lorelei entered at once.

Sebastian shut the door behind them and the two men stared awkwardly at one another for a brief time with the young woman watching them cautiously. Sebastian's tired eyes scanned over Lorelei's face, taking in the silver irides before smiling slightly. "Mister Dragon." Without hesitation, Sebastian pulled the seemingly old man in for a hug while the half-elf woman beside them stared on in surprise. Lorelei returned the hug as tightly as he could, feeling a weight release on his shoulders as he did so.

When they released one another, Sebastian began introductions. "Lorelei, this is my...friend, Sabine." Lorelei inclined his head politely to her, letting no emotion show on his face that Sebastian had stumbled on how to describe her given that Sabine herself now wore a slightly hurt expression on her face. "Sabine, this is the one I was telling you about. Lorelei practically helped raise my entire family before we moved here."

Lorelei laughed and corrected him, "Only a couple of your relatives, I'm afraid, but the honor was still one I appreciate."

Sebastian began waving him towards the room Lorelei had peered into through the window. "Come, come -- sit with us. We were about to have dinner."

Sabine disappeared to retrieve the meal while Lorelei and Sebastian sat across from one another at the table, both happy to see the other but unsure what to say. Without finding words, Sabine rescued them by placing warm dishes before them. Lorelei noted that it consisted of vegetables and a few spices, but no meat to be seen. Sebastian apologized before Lorelei could ask. "We ah...haven't had luck with hunting lately. The...the trouble down at the human village..." He fumbled with his words before Sabine finally stepped in.

"The humans don't trade with us. And the sea dragon has managed to scare away most living creatures that we could eat on land." Sabine cast a glance sideways at Florian's son. "We've tried casting a few nets in shallow water to catch fish of our own, but even the fish seem to be hiding. I'm surprised that your people find any even when they do brave the sea."

Lorelei nodded. "They travel farther than they typically would and have to cast down deep. I understand what you speak of very well." Without having touched his meal, Lorelei began with why he had come. Sabine had already paved the way for the conversation, so there was no reason to hesitate in continuing. "Sebastian, I sent a friend of my own here yesterday to speak with you and your sister. I have already heard her side quite plainly given Sascha's descriptions." He paused, searching the dark eyes of the man across from him. "I would like to know where your heart on the matter of your father lies, if I may be so bold as to ask."

Sabine opened her mouth to possibly chastise the dragon, but Sebastian silenced her with one hand lifted. "No, he has every right to ask." The half-elf pushed his plate away from him and rested his elbows on the table in its place. "I am tired, Lorelei. I've been tired for so many years. My mother and my sister have formed this twisted bond with one another over their hatred for my father and the humans and..." he smiled apologetically, "hatred over you."

Lorelei did not find the admission surprising and so instead sat in silence as he waited for the man to continue, nodding his head to prompt him into doing so.

"Karina loved our father so very much. When he left, she felt...abandoned. We both did. Instead of feeling resentment toward our mother and the other elves for chasing him out, she decided to give into that anger herself. It's become common knowledge here that you are the key to turning the humans against us as you're the newest addition to the equation before trading fell apart and everyone began starving." Sebastian lowered his head into his hands, shrugging his shoulders in defeat. "Even without being beside the sea, I can tell what's going on. I can feel it. The few dwarves that still do bother to trade with us have spoken with me about the sea dragon and what he's been doing to all of you." Head still lowered, he shook his head into the cupped palms. "I don't understand why they want so strongly to be blind. No one else will listen to the dwarves. Perhaps that's why they still keep coming -- trying to warn us to wise up before it's too late."

Sabine, though listening intently, looked as though she had already heard the entire spiel before and was content with eating her food in silence. Though to most it would seem like indifference, Lorelei was aware of how she studied his own face while Sebastian spoke to him. She was sizing him up, trying to gather information based on his reactions to her lover's words. He could sense her protective nature without even trying -- she would fight tooth and nail to defend the young man across from him and he felt a small sense of joy at this. At least Sebastian was well cared for amidst the chaos.

"I am trying to handle the situation with Ferreus as best I can," Lorelei spoke to Sebastian while maintaining a blank expression. "I work closely with the dwarves gathering information. I've only spoken with Ferreus once, but he has appeared to be in hiding since then. However, he does still seem to toy with my people in the meantime." He explained to the two of them about Shipwreck Mountain and the occasional laughter like crashing waves during the dead of night. Sebastian's head lifted as Lorelei described it, his eyes wide with surprise.

"He toys with you like that? And yet they still go to the sea...so that he can do it again?"

Lorelei offered a sad smile, splaying his hands out in a shrug as he continued, "I understand better now why, but to most it does seem a foolish endeavor. Still, if they don't try, how would their families eat? The elves refuse to trade with what little they do have left or to even simply sell them food. They're doing what they can to survive in the circumstances."

The mood around the table grew somber and silence settled in. Slowly, the two men began eating and did not speak again until Sabine began clearing away the plates. Sitting alone together at the table, Lorelei pressed Sebastian once more. "Your father misses you, Sebastian. He misses all of you. I understand that your mother is a lost cause, but I would still like the chance to speak to Karina if I could."

Sebastian sighed, slowly standing upright. "She lives alone. We could go there now and get this over with. I highly doubt she will listen to you, however, but I will gladly go back to see my father again if you can guarantee my safety." When he saw the confused look on Lorelei's face, he explained, "I mean more-so from the elves than the humans, though I'm sure the humans may not be happy to see an elf these days either -- even a half breed."

Lorelei stood as well, pushing his chair back in as he did so. "As long as you are with me, my people will not harm you. As for your own people...I will do what I can, but I do not wish to start a war over this. I would rather we visit in as private a manner as possible so that we need not worry about dealing with them."

He nodded in response, calling to Sabine that he would return shortly. The two of them left together and returned to the house Lorelei already knew belonged to Karina. As Sebastian made to knock on the door, Lorelei gently pushed him aside and did so himself. It took a couple of minutes and a few more knocks before Karina finally arrived at the door. The anger that instantly came across her face almost caused Lorelei to take a step back in surprise, but he held firm. "May we come in, Karina?"

She made to shut the door in their faces, but Sebastian's hand shot out and held it open against her pushing. His eyes locked with hers as he muttered to her in Elvish, "You did not listen to the man yesterday. Take the chance to do so now."

Karina, with a slight growl, released her hold on the door and it swung loudly open with the force of Sebastian's hand still pressed upon it. They entered the dwelling with the sound of the door's slam ringing in their ears. The half-elven woman planted herself in the way of them being able to enter further into her home, arms crossed over her chest and her eyes narrowed as she regarded Lorelei. It was clear that, though they had managed to enter, they were not truly welcome inside.

"Come on, then, dragon. Speak and be done with it." Karina snarled with a voice that did not match her beauty.

"I come on behalf of your father. He has wanted to see you both for years, but your mother would not allow it."

"He knew where we were," Karina spoke over him. "He could have returned at any point."

"Returned to what?" Sebastian scoffed.

" _TO HIS FAMILY_." Karina rounded on her brother, hair whipping about like an open fan as she turned her head towards him. "There was nothing stopping him from coming home except his own selfishness."

"You mean our mother's selfishness."

Lorelei's hand shot out to prevent the hand Karina had raised from slapping her brother across the face. "Enough." he said firmly, releasing her once he'd gotten her attention. "I did not come here with the intention of petty arguments. I understand you're angry, but you're adults now. Being so means hearing the other side of a situation even when you despise them." Again, Lorelei was tempted to step away from Karina's obvious fury. There was an incredibly tangible heat emanating from the woman as he admonished her. "Whatever your mother has told you is an outright lie. I say this without even knowing what her words to the two of you have been, but I can still feel confident in my assumption. Your father has longed to be with all of you, even her, for years. He has only wanted the chance to see you all again and be a family."

Karina looked down her nose at Lorelei, smirking, "Yes, I'm sure daddy dearest would love the chance to be forgiven for all his pathetic failures. Just as I'm sure you'd love to be forgiven for the deaths of hundreds of innocents." She strode past Lorelei to the door, wrenching it open. "You're free to go now, boys. I do believe I've made my decision plain."

Sebastian immediately strode out, looking simultaneously angry and saddened. Lorelei stood in the doorway, preventing her from shutting the door. To gain her attention once more, he whispered to her in Elvish. "Your father loves you, Ka -- "

Karina spit in his face before he could finish his sentence. "Don't ever speak to me in our tongue again, you filthy snake." Her free hand shoved him in the chest, giving her the room she needed to slam the door in his face.

It was possibly the first time Lorelei had felt true shock in his life. After several dumbfounded seconds, he managed to lift a hand to wipe away the spit from his face and turned to rejoin Sebastian as they returned to his home. Through the windows the sounds of cricket chirps graced their ears and Lorelei's eyes spotted the moon through the canopy of trees outside. The two men exchanged a few words, most of which were apologies from Sebastian, before parting ways. Yet, as Lorelei began his journey back to the fishing village, he heard the light jogging of Sebastian catching up to him beneath the flickering lanterns.

"Wait...I can't..." Sebastian wasn't out of breath, but instead trying to suppress full out sobs. Lorelei could tell even in the dim light that his face was wet with tears. "I want to see him now. Tonight."

Before he led the man down the path, he pulled him into an embrace. He offered him the sleeve of his robe to dry his eyes before setting off together. They traveled in silence even with the long journey. When they finally reached the village, Lorelei noticed that people were leaving the Bed and Breakfast to return home for the night. It seemed he had been right in sending Sascha to help Florian with the rush. He was thankful that, not only had they come together as a community, but that they also managed to enjoy themselves late into the night once again. In the distance, Shipwreck Mountain loomed, though it seemed they'd managed to dislodge the other half of the ship from yesterday.

As they reached the door, Lorelei could hear the voices of Sascha and Florian speaking to one another as they cleaned up after the night's festivities. Lorelei placed a hand on the handle, and motioned for Sebastian to stay outside for a moment. As he entered, Florian's tired eyes were happy ones that fell on him at once. "I don't know what you did yesterday, old friend, but I thank you for it."

Lorelei smiled, "I have one other thing you might want to thank me for."

As Lorelei let the door swing open to reveal Sebastian, the broom that Florian was holding slowly slipped from his grasp as he stared at the young man. Aside from the pointed ears and the graying hair, the pair were seemingly identical. Sascha stared past the pair of them to Lorelei, looking shocked, but his smile broke through the surprise. Lorelei closed and locked the door behind Sebastian, watching Florian's face.

It was as though something inside the older man shattered and he took but only a couple steps forward before his legs gave out. Collapsed on the floor, surrendering to loud joyful sobs as Sebastian knelt down with him and they clung to each other like life rafts on the sea. Slowly, Lorelei moved past them to retrieve Florian's broom and to take Sascha by the hand to give them a moment alone. The two of them hid in the storage room behind the bar and Sascha covered the dragon's face in kisses and lavished his ears with whispered praises. Lorelei put a finger to his lips, urging him into silence, but finally indulged him enough to say thank you.

They waited for half an hour, busying themselves with reorganizing the shelves and taking inventory, before Sebastian's voice called to them to rejoin the two men. When Sascha and Lorelei exited, it was to see the father and son seated at a booth with tears still clinging to their eyelashes. Lorelei was focused on Florian who, for the first time in what felt an eternity, bore a smile that was strong and genuine. It seemed nothing could wrest this new-found joy from him and, in that moment, Lorelei knew he would fight as ferociously as Sabine: using both tooth and claw to defend this joy for as long as he possibly could.

Sascha had vanished long enough to return with an expensive bottle of wine that Lorelei gave his blessing to drink by opening it himself. The four of them sat together drinking until the bottle was emptied. Knowing Florian was in good hands without him, Lorelei excused himself and Sascha to allow the family to reconnect. Sascha bounded excitedly down the streets in the moonlight, his eyes glittering with the stars reflected in them, and Lorelei found that his shoulders did not slump for the first time in years. It felt like he had somehow managed to reclaim the village for what it once was and it had taken so little to do it. Before he could get lost in the sound of his thoughts, Sascha was pulling him into the shadows and pushing him against the wall outside his home. Both of them tipsy on rare elven wine, they didn't much mind if someone might be glancing out their windows to see them behaving like new young lovers.

They got lost in one another and celebrated a victory that might seem small to many, but for them felt like a battle that they'd been waging for years. Sascha's lips tasted of wine and his skin smelled lightly of sweat mixed with honey. The human didn't pull away as frequently from Lorelei's kisses leaving his lips trembling with the cold. It took Lorelei a moment to realize that, though he thought he'd been gripping the side of the house with his hands, instead his hands had formed into smaller version of his claws and gouged rough marks into the wood as he tried to hold back from giving into lust. He pulled back, letting his hands form back properly, apologizing in slurred speech. Sascha ignored him, tugging him along and into the house to continue in privacy.


	7. Part Seven

The two men were woken only a few hours later with sunlight streaming in the windows. The once sweet taste of wine now had an unpleasant tang across their tongues. It wasn't the sunlight or the flavor in their mouths that stirred them, but instead the insistent banging at Sascha's front door. Groggily, Sascha wrapped himself in bed sheets and answered the door, "Yes?"

Sebastian's face peered through the small crack Sascha had made. "Do you happen to know where Lorelei is? My father said he needs to see him quickly."

Lorelei appeared at Sascha's shoulder at once, shielding his body behind the door. "I'm here -- is Florian alright?"

Sebastian's face took on a bemused expression, staring from one face to the other and finally taking note of their disheveled hair and tired eyes. With a slight blush in his cheeks, he lowered his gaze to the ground, "Uh... Yeah, yes, of course. He's perfectly fine. He said he needed to show you something immediately. I'll wait outside for the two of you to...get dre-- I mean ready." He walked away quickly, standing in the street trying to wrap his mind around the idea of a man and dragon together.

It only took a few moments for the pair of them to throw on clothes from the night before and join Sebastian as they made their way through the street. Lorelei began asking on the way where they were going. Now far more composed, Sebastian was able to meet Lorelei's eye as he led them, "Shipwreck Mountain. We were going to see my grandmother's grave, but a new ship was tossed on shore. I thought it was a bit sad, but my father has absolutely refused to let anyone near it until you've come. He won't explain anything, just keeps yelling at people to wait for you before clearing it."

Even as Sebastian finished explaining, Lorelei could see the new massive ship's hull precariously perched atop the other busted remains. It was not intact by any means, but he recognized it as one of the newer ships from only a few days ago when he had struggled against the sea trying to desperately find survivors. His eyes were more drawn, however, to Florian guarding the mound of busted boards from a crowd of angry men. Some were younger, but most of the irate ones were around Florian's age. His shouts were enough to keep the men at bay and when they noticed Lorelei's presence they all hurriedly took a step back to let him pass.

"Florian? What has come over you?" Lorelei approached him, thankful that Florian had ceased his screaming.

Florian grasped towards the dragon's humanoid hand, pulling him around to the back of the pile facing the graveyard. He was speaking quickly, "I don't know the language as well as my mother did, but I recognized a few letters and had to stop. It's Draconic, right?" He began gesturing towards a cracked part of the hull that nearly split its entirety in half. Sascha and Sebastian both shared similarly confused expressions while glancing wildly all around the wood for what Florian was referring to.

Though the other two humans were blind to the alphabet of dragons, Lorelei recognized the scratches in the wood at once for his native tongue. "You weren't wrong, Florian. I see it."

"I only see damage to the ship from when it sank..." Sascha murmured, trying desperately to see what it was Lorelei and the older man could.

Lorelei began running his fingers over the message scratched out by Ferreus' claw. "No. He sends this knowing I will see it." His lips drew into a thin line and the joy of the last few days seemed to slowly drain from him. 

"What does it say?" Sebastian's voice came out soft, as though he were afraid it were intrusive to be asking at all.

"Essentially just: _Careful, wyrmling, or you'll tarnish in my waters until you break_."

Beside him, Sascha's expression changed from being merely perplexed to being intensely sour with disgust. Lorelei cut off the torrent of angry words before Sascha could speak by uttering, "Not now. Do not cause the people undue stress."

Florian began backing away, "Do you wish to let them clear it away, or do you think there's more written here to find?"

Lorelei motioned his hand to indicate letting them dismantle the ship, turning to go into the graveyard as he did so. "I have seen all there is to see. I will make my rounds among the people and then I will visit the sea dragon. I feel he is waiting for me, but he can continue to wait."

The four of them wandered into the mass of cramped tombstones, parting ways as Sebastian and his father headed straight to the Old Graveyard and Sascha accompanied Lorelei during his interactions with the people. Though Lorelei put on his best comforting smile while interacting with the villagers, Sascha could easily see the light had abandoned his eyes which made the anger harder and harder to swallow. As the silver moved through the maze of stones, the people smiled in their direction. The human was well aware that their eyes likely moved straight through him to see to Lorelei even if they were grasping hands. He was simply an adornment to the great dragon in their eyes. None would know his name at all if not for Lorelei.

Morning drew to a close and as they left the graves behind they noted that the damaged hull had been fully removed from the pile and was broken down to be burned. Though Sascha tried to convince Lorelei to rest before his journey, he was unsuccessful in the attempt. A quick kiss of the forehead later and the dragon had set out to the cave near the dwarves on his own.

He had not intended to speak with Sindri or the other dwarves on his visit, but for the first time he found them absent from the shore. In front of the cave's mouth a large stone sealed shut the gaping entrance from intruders. When Lorelei reached Ferreus' cave it was to see the dwarven guards had abandoned their posts and the sea dragon swam lazily about in the shallows awaiting his arrival. The jagged grin and laughter greeted him even before he had reached speaking distance of the beast. Only when Lorelei stood across from him on the sands did Ferreus speak to him. Though exhausted, Lorelei's silver eyes had hardened and, much like the day he'd confronted Eira, he stood several feet taller than usual.

"You received my message then, wyrmling?" Ferreus undulated in the warm rays of the suns above, savoring the warmth across his scales. "You should be careful thrashing about in the sea as you do. That fragile soul of yours could crust into a thick, black mass until you dissolve away from the inside out." His chuckle came soft, similar to the gentle hush of waves as they played across the shore. "You will become so brittle that you will break with even the slightest amount of pressure."

Lorelei had expected to be attacked upon arrival with more than mere words and so sneered at the sea dragon, unimpressed with his empty threats. Though somewhere within him he knew he should feel fear, he instead recalled the memories of the people singing and dancing inside the Bed and Breakfast and of Florian reuniting with his son. His will was not one to bend for simple words alone. "You have taken more people that I love from me. You have wronged innocents who caused you no distress. You toy with the hearts and minds of people who would never seek to do you harm. I have already judged you for these acts and am prepared to deal with you accordingly."

"Am I to be dealt with then, wyrmling?" Ferreus' voice may have maintained its playful tone, but the golden eyes glimmered mischievously as he regarded Lorelei.

Lorelei spoke with a strong chill spreading over his tongue that froze the water directly at his feet, "This is your final warning. Cease or be dealt with."

Ferreus rose from his relaxed position, coiling swiftly around the young dragon once before bearing down upon him with teeth proudly exposed. His words came with a bone-rattling roar: "I will not yield."

With a curt nod, Lorelei turned from him and Ferreus moved aside to let him go. In his gut, Lorelei could feel something drastic was about to happen. Something he could not do anything to change but instead must face head-on. Though he dearly wished he could seek consult from Sindri, the cave remained shut to him and so he carried on his way. Even without asking it of him, Sascha waited for the silver dragon along the shore at their usual meeting place. The withered beach trees creaked in the breeze as Lorelei approached the young man. Though Lorelei wanted to smooth away the worried expression on the human's face with a few simple words, he could not find any with which to do so. He allowed himself to be pulled into a tight hug that he gratefully returned before nodding back towards the village. "Come. I want to spend the day with you and Florian while I still can."

The questions Sascha had for him died on his tongue and they slowly made their way back into the busy village streets as men carted more broken bits of ship away from the mountain made by Ferreus. They came across Sebastian and Florian as they parted ways with a hug strong enough that Lorelei could have sworn he heard the old man's back pop during. They stopped to bid farewell with Florian and when Lorelei shook the young man's hand he did so with a silent prayer in his head that the Platinum Dragon watch over him, even if only for Florian's sake.

The three men watched Sebastian until he had disappeared from view, but it was Florian's voice that broke the quiet. "Lorelei. You're taller than usual."

"My apologies." Lorelei began shrinking to his normal height at once, grimacing a bit as he did so. Florian reached out a hand to steady him where he stood, suggesting that the dragon rest for the remainder of the day. Without explanation, Lorelei forced a smile and shook his head. "There is far too much to do before nightfall, my friend. I can rest with the next morning."

Rather than explain his conversation with Ferreus, he dodged their questions and instead offered up the chance to simply enjoy one another's company. All three men were exhausted in their own ways, but finally obliged to a friendly card game at the Bed and Breakfast. When Florian's back was turned, Lorelei set out a 'Closed' sign upon the door and locked it behind them. This moment was his own and he did not wish to share it with others. For just one time he allowed himself a chance to be selfish.

Florian reappeared from the backroom passing a small box to Lorelei with a small smile on his face. "This is the last of the tea Cerise and her family used to make when we got married. I felt you should have it." Lorelei carefully opened the little box, inhaling deep. It smelled like something from another time and a sense of peace washed over him. Though the scent was mostly fruity, he could see bits of dried flower petals mixed with the tea leaves. Closing the box again, he pressed it back into Florian's hands. Before the man could argue he hushed him and spoke, "Bring a glass for each of us. I would rather share this with both of you."

Sascha dealt cards to each of them while Florian prepared their drinks. Lorelei's eyes slowly took in every detail of Sascha's face. The gray eyes, the messy dark blonde hair, the slight tan to his skin from having ventured about so frequently along the shore with Lorelei over the years. When the older man rejoined them, the scent of blackberries enveloped the table as Florian set a cup in front of each of them. Sascha jokingly pulled his cards against his chest and made comment that Florian could be sneaking peeks at cards.

"Please," came the older man's reply. "as if I need to cheat to beat the two of you."

Lorelei brought the cup of ruby red liquid to his lips and hesitated in taking a sip. Something about the mere scent alone seemed to ease aches and pains he'd been feeling in his shoulders -- some of which he had not even been fully aware of until this moment. To his left, he noted Florian doing the same to his cup with his eyes closed.

"You know, Cerise always smelled this way in the beginning." A small smile crossed his lips. "I wasn't allowed to help in the process itself since it was both a family secret and a secret of their people, but once it was done the scent lingered on her. Her fingers were always lightly stained purple and the scent hung about the house for days." Florian's eyes slowly opened, the smile falling slightly. "I can't even remember the last time she made this. I've held onto this little box for years. Never could bring myself to drink it."

He hesitated with the teacup still in hand for several moments before slowly setting it down again without taking a sip. His fingers instead grasped at his hand of cards as he called across the table to Sascha, "Alright, boy -- show me what you're so cocky to hide against your chest, why don't ya?"

The three of them played cards for the remainder of the morning while sipping on their tea and cracking jokes at the expense of their table companions. It took Florian until his cup had cooled before he finally found the strength to take his first sip, but judging by the look that spread over his face, Lorelei could tell that it tasted just as he remembered.

Florian was the first to rise from his seat, gloating at his victories over the other two table occupants. "I think I've had enough for today. Come back when you've improved or when you find me a real challenger."

Sascha managed to leave the room before Lorelei could join him. Florian's voice called him over from the bar as he fiddled with the now empty wooden box that had held their tea leaves. Before Lorelei had even reached him, the man began speaking, "Sascha would never tell me... How did Karina react when you told them that I wanted to see them?"

Inwardly, the silver stumbled over various kind explanations he could give. Finally he settled upon, "She just needs some time to come around. Do not fret, Florian."

A sad smile passed over Florian's face before he sadly shook his head and closed the little box in his hands. "You don't have to spare my feelings, Lorelei. I'm grateful for what I have, which is much more than what I deserve." He lowered the box to the counter, but continued letting one hand rest upon it. "Thank you for bringing my son back to me. I thought I would die long before I could see his face again."

Lorelei watched as Florian's thumb stroked the engraving on the wooden box lid, holding back his apologies and the truth of what had happened the night he returned to the wood. "No matter what emotions may have taken hold of Karina now, I stand by what I said. Give her time. Even the hardest hearts can soften."

Florian snorted, letting his hand fall away from the box at last. "Did you say that to Ferreus?" Taking sight of Lorelei's pained expression, Florian apologized hastily. "I'm sorry. It was out of line. Did you manage to find the sea dragon after finding his message?"

The silver hesitated, visibly biting on his lip as he nodded once.

"What did he say?"

Lorelei turned away, "I best be off, Florian. I need to speak with Sascha before nightfall."

The human watched the dragon exit and let out a long sigh as the door shut firmly behind him.

As Lorelei searched for Sascha in the streets, his eyes lingered on the docks where men were preparing to board a couple of tethered ships. The strong, protective urge came over him to call them back but even as he took a few steps forward to do so the words began dying in his throat. He reminded himself that if he had not gone to the mountain, no one would have done so. If they did not go to the sea, no one else would. Instead of approaching with the intent to reprimand, he neared the ships with prayers on his tongue for safe travels. Playing around the sand were the children or younger siblings of the men boarding the ships and Lorelei found a pang move through his chest as he remembered Adelaide in her youth exclaiming excitedly that she knew a dragon that could burp up winter even in the sunshine. It had been years since he'd played with children. When Cerise forbade the twins from visiting, Lorelei had subconsciously distanced himself from all children over time. Instead he had spent his time reminiscing about days with a much younger Florian whose eyes shone bright like stars when seeing the dragon in his true form or about holding Adelaide for the first time as a newborn.

Slowly, Lorelei approached the children and they looked up expectantly at him as he neared their group. He knelt down in the sand, smiling in what he hoped was a comforting way, and asked if they had ever seen majick before. Most of the children shook their heads while a couple laughed at the idea of majick existing at all. One small boy whispered to the others that the man was actually a dragon and at once all of them screamed in chorus that he prove it.

Extending one hand, Lorelei allowed it to form into a claw and conjured a small amount of snow. He curled the claw into a fist around the soft powder, forming a ball, and tossed it at the youngest who caught it excitedly while exclaiming, "I told you so! I told you so!"

There were no more doubts in their minds as they took turns examining the scales of Lorelei's claw and how they shimmered in the sunlight. Occasionally Lorelei would surprise a child taking a close look by shooting puffs of soft snow into their face. They all would laugh and bounce on the balls of their feet, their squeals enlivened by their first glimpses of majick.

The dragon spent several long minutes with the children before their mothers called them back from the shore. "Don't you know it's dangerous by the water!?" As he resumed standing on his feet, he felt a hand grasp for his shoulder and turned to find Sascha smiling at him.

"I didn't know you had a soft spot for children, Lorelei." he said, letting his hand slide down Lorelei's arm to grasp his hand. He withdrew in surprise at instead grasping at a cold dragon's claw. "Sorry. Sometimes I forget." Sascha chuckled nervously, rubbing the cold palm against his pants to warm it again.

Lorelei offered his other hand instead, "Remember? I told you children meant a great deal to me. It's just been a very long time since I've had the honor to enjoy their company." Without the distraction of the young, his attention was once again drawn to the docks where the men were about to weigh anchor.

Sascha's fingers intertwined with Lorelei's as he followed his gaze to the ships. "Did you try to stop them?"

Lorelei gently shook his head. "What would it matter? I know they will go anyway. The sea calls to them far too strongly." The waves moved in a deceivingly serene manner and all the dragon could think of was the calm before a storm. Turning to face him, Lorelei managed to weakly smile at Sascha, "Come. Nothing can be done about it now. I wanted to enjoy a little of the day with you before things get under way."

Before the human could inquire to what things Lorelei was referring to, two men approached them from the docks. Even from where they stood on the shore the groaning of the old boards underfoot reached their ears. As they reached Lorelei and Sascha, the dragon recognized them as being the two to have pulled him up onto the dock the night of the storm. He inclined his head in thanks to them, "Thank you both for your help getting ashore. I am afraid I would have been unable to myself."

The men looked to be around Florian's age but in far better physical condition than he. One stood around Sascha's height, though likely would have been taller if not for the slight hunch to his shoulders. His dark hair was beginning to thin and gray both in his beard and on his head, but his green eyes still held a vibrancy Lorelei was unaccustomed to these days. The taller man wore a shirt ripped at the sleeves permitting overly muscular arms a free range of motion. His silvered beard had bits of splintered wood stuck in it which told Lorelei they had been working on Shipwreck Mountain this morning. The man with the slumped posture spoke up first, "My name is Magni, and this is Gabriel."

Gabriel offered his hand to Lorelei to shake. "We've been wantin' a word for a while now, but didn't know if ya had the time."

"Truthfully, I am very busy as of late, but what was it that you needed?"

"We just wanted to thank ya," said Magni sheepishly. "Our fathers talked 'bout ya all the time. Real respectful, almost like you were a god or summat. But..." he paused, glancing over at Gabriel.

"But you weren't nothin' like what they described as we grew up." Gabriel explained. "They said you would walk around talkin' to everyone whether ya knew 'em or not. You were the guardian of this place, but were everyone's friend, too." His eyes lowered, looking slightly ashamed. "For a while we weren't sure if you cared about any of us at all."

Magni spoke up then, "We know better now, but...you were gone so often and never talked with anyone. Didn't seem like ya cared about the people here anymore, aye?" He hesitated, trying to gauge what emotional reaction Lorelei was having to his words. "We both understand a little better now... we wanted to thank ya for trying to save the crews on those sinkin' ships."

"And for talkin' with the villagers after you were healed up again." Gabriel added. "It meant more than ya can believe. It were like a dream to have everyone dancin' in the dining hall again the last few nights. Ne'er thought I'd see the like again." The two men inclined their heads as one to him and thanked him in unison.

Lorelei accepted their thanks with a slight bow. "I would never abandon my people. In every moment of absence, my loyalty remained with the village. This has been my home and I will fight and defend it with my life."

Magni hesitated before finally adding, "Sorry for judgin' your actions without knowing, Mister Lorelei. We talked to one cranky son of a bitch who lives out by the mountain..."

With a smirk Lorelei said, "You mean Sindri?"

Gabriel nodded. "Aye, that were 'im. Got a lotta respect for you, he does. He told us about what all you've been up to and how...uh...how'd he put it, Mag?"

"He called us a bunch of things, but his favorite was filthy toerags..." Magni scratched at his beard. "Said none of us were doin' right by you during alla' this calamity. Put a lot into perspective for us, eh? Anyway. We just wanted to apologize for the way we thought of ya and we're here to help if'n we can."

With a small smile at the idea of Sindri actually defending him, Lorelei bowed to them in gratitude. "Thank you Magni. Gabriel. When things go awry I simply ask that you protect the people as best you are able."

The two men gave their word and then set off in the direction of Shipwreck Mountain. Lorelei gently pulled Sascha along with him down the pier to gaze up at the ships as they set out. Their feet caused the rickety boards to creak beneath them and they waited together for the ships to disappear from sight. Sascha moved his gaze from the sea, turning to take in the expression on Lorelei's face. The bags beneath his eyes were dark and heavy and it made the human wonder if, in his dragon form, he looked as exhausted as in this one. Beneath the soft beard he could just barely make out the shape of a small frown.

"Don't worry, they'll be back before nightfall." Sascha hoped even empty words would give the young dragon a bit of hope. Whether or not it did, he looked down at Sascha and smiled all the same. The deceivingly old hand squeezed his in return as Lorelei urged him back up the dock to Florian's Bed and Breakfast.

Though the 'Closed' sign was removed, the dining area was empty when they arrived. This included Florian himself. While peering out the windows, Sascha was able to spot him in the Old Graveyard. "Let him be." Lorelei murmured, motioning for Sascha to follow him back out again.

Lorelei greatly wished to travel back to the mountain to see if the cave remained blocked off, yet the journey seemed a waste of time for their day together. Even though it may have seemed dull to most, the two of them returned to Sascha's home and sat at the table with his books and his maps. The scent was calming to the dragon and, though he considered all of the village his home, this was his favorite place to be within it. The walls were largely undecorated with the exception of a couple of maps that Lorelei did not recognize as being Sascha's own work. The old table wobbled when used by someone on either side and the bed was small, but comfortingly so even for two people. He loved the smell of the old tomes Sascha possessed, the scent of spilled ink, and even the overpowering paint fumes had a comforting quality to them. They all reminded Lorelei of Sascha in their own ways and, in turn, of how passionate humans could be.

They sat at the table together talking about trivial things in spite of the time. Lorelei laughed at Sascha's stories of being a young adventurer and wandering about small stretches of trees with the idea of mapping out the woods. Though it worried his parents, he actually had set out to do what he intended. Sascha said he no longer had the map, but it was a mess of splotched ink and chicken scratch. When another child eventually turned up missing later that year, Sascha had been able to help the search parties locate them again with the aid of his messy map. Though his parents still disliked him wandering off on his own, they chastised him less for it that day. While Lorelei loved hearing of the human's youth, Sascha was just content to see him smiling.

They eventually stopped speaking as nighttime drew near and made their way back to the Bed and Breakfast before the suns could begin setting. There were a few people seated at tables, but for it was a manageable crowd compared to what they had become accustomed to as of late. Florian leaned lazily over the bar but stood straight when he caught sight of Lorelei in the doorway. Rather than take a seat, Lorelei joined Florian behind the bar and asked to speak with the old man in private for a moment. Sascha obediently remained behind at the bar while they disappeared among the stocked shelves.

"Is something wrong, Lorelei?" Florian asked, looking only mildly concerned.

"I am...unsure." The white eyebrows knitted together and his lips pursed in thought beneath the beard. "I have no evidence of anything about to happen, and yet I can feel something stirring. Everything is so calm and yet every single part of me is on edge."

Florian pulled a box towards himself and took a seat, motioning for Lorelei to sit down on the nearest wooden crate as well. "Talk to me. Is it about Ferreus? Did something happen this morning?"

A large part of him wished to remain silent on the matter, but he finally elaborated on their interaction. More-so than the sea dragon's words, it was the look in his golden eyes that had put the silver into a sense of unease the entire day long.

He expected Florian to agree with him at once, but instead when he looked up for the man's reaction it was to see an expression of relief crossing his old features. "Is that all? I thought he had said something about attacking. You had me worried, old friend."

Lorelei's sigh disturbed the hair on his face, causing small amounts of frost to cling to the strands. "It is hard to explain, but when interacting with dragons you know to focus less on words and more on behavior. There was a threat made, even if silently."

Florian paused while weighing the information in his mind. Finally he asked, "What would you have me do?"

"Remain as far back from the sea as possible," Lorelei responded. "Though I know he can come ashore, he is slower on land and in the air compared to how he would fight in the waters themselves. I'm hoping that, if needed, hugging the mountain range will provide some safety."

"Have you told any of this to Sascha?" Even as Florian asked, he could tell by the way the silvered eyes turned away from him that he had not. "You are going to tell him, aren't you? If you truly believe something is going to happen, you should have spent the day warning people."

"I've warned the people for years and it has yielded nothing from them except a graveyard that has no room for further expansion." Lorelei snarled, still looking away from him. "Instead I ask the ones closest to me to please be smart and watch over a deaf flock."

They sat in silence for a moment with the muffled sounds of bar chatter being the only sound that reached their ears. Florian shifted uncomfortably on his makeshift seat, frowning as he regarded Lorelei's tired expression. Finally, he hesitantly suggested that the dragon take a moment to rest. "If everything is as you suspect, you need the ability to be at full strength more than anyone."

Lorelei rose at the suggestion, stumbling slightly as if to add more merit to Florian's words. When the old man reached out to steady him Lorelei allowed it, albeit unhappily so. "I cannot take such a luxury. I have to stand watch from the mountains tonight. Come daybreak, I will find the rest I need."

Quietly, they abandoned the confines of the stock room and rejoined with Sascha. While Lorelei assured the younger man that all was well, Florian came back with two small plates of food for them. "It isn't much, but...you know. Gotta keep up your strength, right?" Florian looked pointedly at Lorelei as he set the plate before the dragon.

The pair of them ate in silence and, though it was unnecessary, Sascha left payment at the bar before they strode out. Though Sascha intended to head home before sunset, Lorelei took hold of his hand and led him to the shoreline away from the village.

They neared a halfway point between the human homes and the dwarven mountain and settled down in the sand. Sascha's eyes stared out over the sea -- so deceivingly calm -- taking in the sunset with eyes that Lorelei noticed were dim with the blindness of the dead. It was unnerving how peaceful the sea looked given Lorelei's interaction with Ferreus earlier in the day. Lorelei extended his legs across the sand, stretching his toes out towards the water, but hesitating so that they did not touch the lapping waves. Every drop of water was a perfect window for Ferreus' seemingly ever-watching gaze. Anything that entered or exited the depths was perfectly known to him as though he himself were present to witness it.

The sand began to perfectly mold around their bodies as they sat. Rarely talking. Mostly watching and listening. In Lorelei's case, it involved more-so waiting to see that massive form rise out of the sea and approach the shoreline. In time, Sascha's presence alone helped ease him from jumping at the slightest sounds and instead remained still with the calls of the passing gulls and the creaking of dead beach trees around them. As the sun set, their shriveled branches cast eerie, claw-like shadows across the sand. Though he knew it to be untrue, Sascha felt as though these shadows were reaching out to grab at him and force him under the waves. Instinctively, he scooched closer to the dragon at his side and Lorelei welcomed him into the safe embrace of one arm.

They watched the sun's dying rays dance across the water's surface like liquid gold and marvelled at the beauty of the stars slowly claiming the night sky. It wasn't until the suns faded in their entirety that Lorelei broke the casual conversation that had occasionally passed between them. "This is all coming to a head soon." His fingers tightened around Sascha, pulling him a little closer against his side. "I need to face Ferreus head-on when it does. Do you understand?"

"I understand." the voice came monotone.

"I have to ask you to please watch over Florian." Lorelei said slowly, taking in the fatigued slump of the young man's shoulders and the worn out look on his face. "The old, stubborn fool is liable to do something dangerous."

Sascha snorted. "Liable? You mean he is certain to."

"Keep him safe if you can." Lorelei continued as if Sascha had not spoken. "And, as best as you are able, keep the people on land. I'm no fool. I know there will be casualties either way, but staying ashore should minimize the loss."

Sascha slowly turned to look at him, eyes dead of emotion. "Lorelei, I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I am a simple man of no import. I will do as you ask, but I have little belief that anyone will heed my words. Especially should panic set in." His eyes lowered. "Even Florian would ignore me, I have no doubt."

Lorelei smirked, looking away from Sascha at the darkened sea. "Do not blame Florian's stubbornness on yourself. As for the people, they know who you are and what you mean to me. You are as deep into this as I am. I would think being known as, dare I say, my lover would earn you at least a little respectable favor in their eyes."

A small, tired smile tugged at the corner of Sascha's mouth at the term Lorelei used for him. He didn't respond right away, pulling his legs away from the waves as they neared too close to his feet. "Where would you have me lead them?"

"As far from the water as you can go." The dragon paused for a moment and turned to stare inland. "To the mountains beyond the wood elves forests. Hug the rock as much as you can on the way. Try to hide in the shadows of the trees when necessary." His eyes scanned the shadowy landscape a moment longer before returning to the looming sea. "Even that plan is a fool's hope."

His arm fell away from Sascha's side and instead grasped for the man's hand. "Look at me, Sascha." Sascha complied with the dragon's request and turned his face to meet the silver gaze. "I need you to promise me. Do not board a ship." His silver eyes lost their misty quality and took on a more hardened, steel-like tone. "Do not so much as set foot on the docks. Do you understand me?"

There was a tense moment of Sascha scrutinizing the dragon's expression before he finally gave a strong, firm nod.

"I need to hear you say it, Sascha." The tone remained firm, but Sascha noted the desperation at the end of his request.

He squeezed the old hand that held his own. "I promise you, Lorelei. I will remain on land. You have my word."

"Even should Ferreus come ashore?" Lorelei pressed him.

"Even if the bastard comes on land, I will stay ashore." Sascha nodded in confirmation. "I promise."

The silver eyes softened and he let Sascha gently tug his tired form into an embrace. "Thank you. I do not wish to lose you. We are all about to lose so much very soon. Maybe it is selfish of me, but... if I can hold onto only one thing, I would want it to be you."

Sascha smiled with his chin resting gently on the top of Lorelei's head. "You've given so much to this village over the years, Lorelei. You're allowed to have a moment of selfishness."

They eased into the silence, letting it enshroud them like a safety blanket. The two of them rested against each other taking in the sound of one another's breathing and slightly elevated heartbeats. Sascha's eyes gently closed as he breathed in deep. Stronger than the scent of the sea before them was the overpowering scent of strong pine needles and the gentle afterthought of rainfall across the ground. With his eyes closed, Sascha could perfectly imagine a peaceful and protected wood far from here with no impending doom from the seas. Though he'd never told Lorelei, it was his favorite scent in the world and it took him to a place that gave him inordinate amounts of peace.

There came the sounds of gentle wings passing overhead and Sascha opened his eyes to see the last birds of the day retreat to their homes for the night. Sascha made to pull away, but Lorelei's hands grasped for him to hold him in place. It was a different experience to have Lorelei be clingy, but Sascha remained holding him and took in the welcome scent for a little longer.

When Lorelei spoke, Sascha was not sure if he had imagined the words or not. His whisper melded with the gentle shushing of the ocean's lapping waves. "I love you, Sascha." The words were not ones that they'd ever exchanged before and it startled Sascha with their unfamiliarity. It wasn't a bad sensation, but they left Sascha feeling at a loss to remember how speech worked.

It wasn't until the silver dragon sat upright that the human realized his grip around Lorelei had gone lax in surprise.

"Am I out of line?" Lorelei asked him, voice taking on a level of uncertainty that Sascha was unfamiliar with.

He leaned forward, planting a kiss on Lorelei's lips. "I love you, too." He murmured against his lips before kissing him again. When they finally pulled apart, Lorelei noticed the dimness in Sascha's eyes had abated. They came alive again and held him captivated just as they had for years. He could not help but remember all the times Sascha had helped him feel invigorated again in spite of insurmountable obstacles. It was the first time the dragon was aware of having passed that same passion on to someone else.

Before Lorelei could say more, the human posed a question of his own. "May I ask a promise from you as well?"

"You may."

With a deep breath, Sascha begged of him, "Promise me when the battle has ended that you will be alive." His gaze lowered. "Even if we lose the land, I need to know we won't... that _I_ won't lose you."

Lorelei hesitated, a frown forming on his face. "Sascha, that's not something I can guarantee..."

"Please..." Sascha gently shook his head and continued. "Even if you're only lying to me, do so. Make me believe it. Make me believe that, at the end of this, both of us will still be alive and able to enjoy our time together while we can." A few tears fell from his eyes as he turned his head away to hide them. "I'll trust you even if you lie, but I need to hear it from your mouth and not my imagination."

He took the human into his arms and gripped him tighter with every tear that dampened his shoulder.

Lorelei's throat felt tight, the words strained, but he gave Sascha his tainted promise. "When this all blows over, Sascha, we'll meet along the shore again. We'll drink with the dwarves and lose to Florian at cards. I'll help you finish your maps and we can safely travel the seas wherever we wish to go. We'll pour over your maps and talk into the night like we have for years."

"Can we return to the river?" Sascha asked slowly, voice muffled against Lorelei's shoulder.

"Of course. I promise you."

Though Sascha's smile was pure, Lorelei was not blinded to the tremble at the corners of his lips. The pit in the dragon's stomach grew larger, making him feel vile. Even when asked to lie, it felt like a betrayal. As they lapsed into silence and tried to relax, the quiet of the world around them unsettled Lorelei. The gulls had gone silent, the beach trees had ceased rattling, even the wind had quieted in their presence. He wanted desperately to enjoy this moment with Sascha, but inside his stomach weighted him like a boulder and, though it was probably his imagination, he felt the scratchiness of salt water in his throat.

It was hard for them to bring themselves to rise from the sands. Sascha and Lorelei, both heavy with exhaustion from an early morning with little rest, helped each other into standing positions and leaned into one another in the moonlight. Lorelei's voice came muffled against the human's flesh. "I cannot stay with you tonight. I need to keep watch from the mountains." He pulled back, resting his forehead against Sascha's own. "Will you be alright?"

Sascha nodded, causing Lorelei's head to move with his. "I'll be better when you're back in the village tomorrow."

Their parting took longer than usual. Sascha had long become accustomed to Lorelei's hasty exits, but tonight he lingered in Sascha's presence for as long as possible and every moment he pulled away found him instantly reaching for the young man's hands again. Finally, they parted with whispered confessions that brought a shimmer once again to Sascha's eyes.

From the shore, Lorelei watched Sascha walk away until he vanished between the structures in the distance. When he could no longer see him, his eyes studied the footprints he'd left behind in the sand. It gave him a strange satisfaction that the lapping tides did not reach far enough to wash them away. He turned slowly, stumbling a bit as he went, and made his way across the sands a few feet before transforming and settling in among the rocks above Sindri and the others. The boulder was no longer in place, but the shore was empty and the silence was deafening. It felt surreal to be in his childhood home, alone with the moon and his thoughts. His eyes often went lazy as he stared out at the sea and his vision would blur until he forced himself to rapidly blink the tiredness away.

One moment he was focused on the calm sea below and the next his eyes shut without his permission. Unable to fight the call of sleep any longer, Lorelei succumbed to fatigue and slumped against the stones. Though normally uncomfortable, the dragon was blissfully unaware of the stabbing of stone into his side and also to the approach of the sea dragon from the shoreline.


	8. Part Eight

For an hour Ferreus watched from the shallows with his golden eyes gleaming through the darkness. His gaze perfectly fixed upon the sleeping Lorelei and, even through the water, his toothy grin shone bright. The gentle crashing of waves was lost on the sleeping silver as Ferreus moved back and forth along the edge of the land and scanned his surroundings. The ships began docking at the human village. Though the dwarves were absent from the shore, he could hear the small chime of hammers tinking away against steel from within the cave. The golden orbs moved rhythmically between the village, the sleeping dragon, and the open cave mouth as he slithered to and fro. He did not cease until movement from within the cave drew his attention. Several dwarves had begun to exit the cave carrying heavy loads of work items in their arms. They took it in turns to set up all that they had removed earlier for work stations so that they might resume as normal tomorrow. Before the last one could return inside, the top portion of Ferreus' body began rapidly coiling upwards on top of itself before striking straight across the sand in mere seconds. The screams as he bit into the dwarf's legs and pulled him to the water's edge drew the attention of his fellows at once. Already armed, they threw themselves at the sea dragon as they called loudly in their native tongue to anyone who could hear them from within the cave.

Though they hacked at Ferreus' face, their weapons merely glanced off of him. Even as others joined the fray it wasn't until Sindri arrived with a fire burning in his eyes that any headway was reached. What first began as chaos came to order with Sindri screaming orders at his fellows. They bent to his command at once even as Ferreus thrashed about and threw them across the beach with his mouth. As Sindri had promised Lorelei, they began binding the great serpent to the very mountain whose size seemed dwarven itself in comparison to the Great Wyrm. Ferreus' coils cinched up as they looped ropes and chains around his body and then relaxed to free himself again. It seemed an endless struggle as the undulating body smashed the dwarves repeatedly into the stone to free himself once more.

At some point, Sindri's eyes were drawn upwards and caught sight of a small glimmer of silver high above them. The bushy eyebrows knitted together and he inhaled deeply before bellowing out loudly, "LORELEI."

When Lorelei stirred from his slumber, he gazed down at Ferreus and shook the sleep away from his eyes. It took him several seconds to realize what he was seeing was reality and not a bad dream. Scattered around the bound sea snake were the corpses of dozens of dwarves and a few injured ones. From his vantage point it was hard to tell who was what. He flew down from the mountain peaks and landed among them, shifting as his feet touched the sand back into his elderly human form. Though his eyes still carried the weight of exhaustion, he stood tall with silver eyes hardened like iron as he gazed at the beast lashed to the mountainside.

"You think mere toothpicks can hold me down?" Ferreus laughed, the crashing waves like a tsunami against Lorelei's ears. His body strained against his bonds where the dwarves had pegged them into the stone.

Gazing at him now, Lorelei still felt compelled to believe that he were as long as the sea were wide. The thick coils stretched against the ropes until they frayed and the chains until they began to strain and bend at their weak links. Before they could give out in their entirety, Lorelei bellowed over Ferreus. "I ask you again - one last time: Cease or be dealt with."

The first ropes began to snap around his middle, the coils already bunching together to give him more weight against them. His open mouth snapped at once towards Lorelei when the chains finally uncoupled and fell away. "I WILL NOT YIELD."

Lorelei took a step back, transforming and in mid-flight by the time Ferreus had removed himself entirely from his confines. His eyes were drawn to several dwarves rushing down the shoreline towards the human village and, though he couldn't make out the words, he heard the voice of Sindri screaming at them. Ferreus, uneven teeth gleaming in a wicked grin, bolted towards them even as Lorelei exhaled a cloud of paralyzing gas. Like a streak of lightning through the air, the glimmering sea-green scales shot out of harm's way and streaked across the sands at an alarming rate. Already he was grabbing hold of dwarves and tossing them haphazardly into the sea.

Slowed by his interactions with the dwarves, Lorelei fell upon him and tore at the sinew of his neck in hopeless desperation. If nothing else, he hoped to distract him from the dwarves long enough that Sindri could rescue them from harm. Ferreus' loud roars sounded like deafening waves slamming against his eardrums and Lorelei recoiled in confusion. Disoriented, he took several seconds to get his bearings and by then the sea dragon was already proceeding towards the village again. In the distance, lights were being lit for lanterns in various homes as people awoke to the sounds of the two dragons battling and roaring at one another.

Lorelei's teeth clamped over any part of Ferreus he could reach, but Ferreus easily shook him off and sent sprays of frigid sea water into the silver's path. They took to the skies, circling one another and swinging violently with their tails. Several times Lorelei had to duck out of the circling coils before they could close around him and crush him. He dared not spare a glance downward to see, but hoped that this airborne battle would give his people time to run towards the woods and to safety.

*~*~*~*

The sounds of a loud storm woke Sascha from his uneasy rest. By the time he made it to his window, people were gathering in the streets with horrified expressions. It wasn't long before panicked screaming took hold of the air and everyone scattered in multiple directions at once. Everything Lorelei had believed about Sascha felt woefully impossible as he watched throngs bolt towards the docks. Families struggled to stay close together with mothers pulling their children to their sides and dragging them so hard that, even in the darkness, the bruises on their wrists were evident.

Sascha elbowed his way ahead of everyone and, panting, reached the docks as the crews of the ships arrived. They turned deaf ears to Sascha's cries to stop. He grabbed at their arms and tore at their shirts until they ripped away in his hands. Did they think he was just desperate to board and escape? Behind him he heard the thundering of feet on old wood and turned instead to deal with the masses.

"Stop!"

They stampeded past him. Over him.

Sascha fell onto the wooden pier on his back, groaning at the pain as pairs of feet trampled his fingers and moved dangerously close to his eyes. The sound of children crying was somehow louder than the screeching of the dragons above them. It took Sascha by surprise when, suddenly, a pair of strong arms hoisted him to his feet at the same time a voice bellowed near his ear to back away from the sea and head inland. The voice commanded respect and it caused the people to hesitate in their mad dash to the docked ships. Sascha, blinking back tears of pain from having been trampled by the people, took in the face of the man who owned the hand holding him upright. Gabriel stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Magni, his free hand gripping Sascha so that none might knock him aside again. Magni continued loudly commanding the people to return to shore and head for the mountains.

Some obeyed at once, but most hesitated and seemed uncertain if they should heed the advice or push by them. Gabriel roughly shoved Sascha forward while still keeping him grounded between them. "This is someone you all know. Listen to him."

His voice shook but he yelled to the people that would listen -- "We have to return to land. Head towards the mountains and make our way to the woods. The farther inland we go, the safer we'll be."

He was instantly met with rebuttal from the people.

"The sea dragon is in the sky! It's the perfect time to go!"

"We're not safe here."

"Lorelei won't last long -- we can't let his death be in vain!"

"ENOUGH." Magni and Gabriel shouted as one and moved forward like a hulking human shield while pushing Sascha along with them. Magni took a half-step ahead of them, "Those who wish to get out of this alive, follow us to the mountainside. Gabriel will lead and I'll take up the rear to make sure families stay together."

Even as the two men strode off and left Sascha back on land, most of the people began resuming their path down the pier to the ships. Some of the crew had abandoned post and followed after Magni while the younger men stayed behind to ferry those who wished to make their escape by sea.

Sascha's mind was torn. He remembered Lorelei just hours ago saying that the sea called to them, but this was different. This wasn't a moment of seeking food for starving families -- this was simply willingness to die for stupidity alone and so he tore back down the boardwalk and grabbed anyone he could to scream at them for their stupidity. Even now the shore was becoming clogged again with newcomers who had not heard the message from Magni and Gabriel. They came burdened with luggage that was haphazardly thrown onto ships with no organization whatsoever. Most bags simply bounced off the side of the ship and fell into the ocean, but no one made comment in their haste to board. In frustration, Sascha forced his way back from where he'd started and locked eyes with Florian making his way to the boats.

Anger seized him then and he grabbed for Florian's arm to drag him back to the village. With a strength unexpected from the older man, Florian wrenched his arm away and continued forward. Sascha chased after him, screaming, hot tears falling in his fury, "FLORIAN."

Florian paused and turned to face Sascha. The only thing he seemed to be carrying was a very small wooden box in his hands that he clutched like some sort of talisman. "Sascha, we have to get out of here."

"I listened to the two of you in the stockroom," Sascha blurted out. "I heard him tell you face-to-face to stay off the sea. What the hell are you doing?"

Florian gestured into the skies, indicating the battle raging above them as the two dragons circled one another through the clouds. "He isn't down here. We have enough time. Lorelei never mentioned to me ab--"

"HE MENTIONED TO ME." Sascha snarled, his hands curling into fists. "Even if he comes ashore, do not go onto the sea. I made a promise."

"Well, I didn't." Florian resumed his journey to the nearest ship before feeling Sascha's fist collide with the side of his head. As he stumbled, his hands nearly lost their hold on the wooden box he held. When he rounded on Sascha, his fury was palpable. "I AM LEAVING, SASCHA." One hand was clenched around the wooden box in a vice-like grip while the other was formed into a fist and hovered in the face of the younger man before him. The two were buffeted by the sea of people struggling past them as they faced one another. It seemed neither intended to back down. Behind Florian, Sascha could make out that one ship was already weighing anchor despite people still trying to climb aboard.

With a deep breath, Sascha decided to change tact. "I promised him I would keep you safe," He tried to soften the expression in his eyes along with the words. "You are the only family he has left, Florian. Please. Honor him enough to stay on land with me." He thought back to Lorelei's sister, Eira, visiting years ago and the silver dragons abandoning the land a week after. He remembered the look in Lorelei's eyes and the beat-up attire he wore when he strode into the Bed and Breakfast that night. His voice had sounded dead and his heart had withered in a way even he could never mend. Lorelei had forsaken everything and Sascha couldn't bear to let that be in vain. "Florian, you are the only thing he has left to protect."

Florian snorted, looking down at his box before slowly turning away from him again. "He's got you, kid."

Dumbfounded, Sascha stared after him as Florian headed for the only remaining ship. His eyes slowly lifted, following the flight of Lorelei: a mere speck compared to the monstrosity of Ferreus whose form moved in lithe figure-eights around the silver dragon before striking at him again. The silver would struggle to stay aloft with every hit, but somehow remained airborne and began clawing at the serpentine body again and again. His determination fueled Sascha and he lowered his gaze and followed after Florian as they began pushing the ramp away from the ship. Sascha was the last to board and his hands gripped Florian roughly by the shoulders before hurling him down the ramp. Florian rolled and collapsed onto the pier, landing painfully onto the little box he held. When he locked eyes with Sascha, the gray eyes had a very similar quality to Lorelei's when angry -- hardened like steel. In awe, he watched as Sascha began looking for a way to disembark before struggling to his feet as the ship pulled away. Immediate panic settled in his chest and caused even his ribs to ache with the realization of what he may have just caused.

Sascha had made the attempt of jumping off the ship twice -- once at the dock and once as it had pulled away by several feet. His body was held back by concerned hands of foolish well-wishers. He rounded on them in rage, pulling himself free, only to have them hauling him backwards again. In his head all he could think of was his promise to Lorelei. He had to return to the shore. They were supposed to meet there again. Get off the ship, move inland, hug the mountains, play cards with Florian once more...

By the time the people stopped trying to pull him back, it would have been more dangerous to jump overboard than to just stay on deck. His heart hammered painfully against his chest and, no matter how mortal he'd felt beside a hundreds-year-old dragon, he now felt incredibly small and insignificant on the sea. As he felt the fear rising up in his throat, choking him, he heard the screams erupting around him as everyone focused skyward. Sascha's eyes looked up in time to see Ferreus hurtling towards them with his mouth opened wide. His breath alone created hurricanes that rose in mere seconds from the water around them, barring their path. Right behind him came Lorelei, firing icy blasts at the storm in hopes of slowing their progression. Waves froze in place before they could reach the ships to knock them over into the unforgiving sea, but even just the passing of the two dragons caused the ships to rock dangerously in the wind they created.

But as the two dragons vanished from sight again, the sound of the wind remained. The hurricanes smashed into the frozen waves and shattered them like fragile glass. Sascha watched as the ship ahead of them rose and then fell several times before disappearing from sight. Their own vessel began to rock from side to side with the movement of the ocean as their ship slowly dipped into the water repeatedly on its right side. People scrambled away from the edges and slipped dangerously into the lower levels of the ship with water spraying violently over the wooden deck after them. The howling wind masked even the loudest screams. A streak of silver caught Sascha's eye even in the darkness as Lorelei again tried to freeze the waves around the still sailing ships. Waves around them halted in their path in giant, jagged spikes. Again, the wind ripped through them and sent icy needles slamming into their hull. The rocking ceased only momentarily before beginning once more, but already the dragon was gone and tearing at the scales of Ferreus' neck.

The waves closest to their ship seemed blue and vibrant even in this darkness, yet further away the ominous water swelling to hundred foot heights was black as pitch. The fear in Sascha's chest mounted with every surge of sea water. They hadn't capsized yet. The hurricanes couldn't last forever. They would make it to shore again. He whispered these affirmations to himself even as the ship's rocking motions slammed him painfully from side to side and into his shipmates. Humans clung to one another in the hopes of stability against the storm, yet the water underfoot sent them sliding instead as one large mass. There was no means to get sufficient footing in these conditions. Somewhere to their right-hand side, an audible snap reached their ears as a ship broke in two and began sinking under the waves. If it had been quieter, Sascha would have called out to survivors. In these conditions, however, he remained silent.

In what seemed like half a second, their ship began spinning wildly out of control. In the chaos, it was hard for Sascha to tell what was the sound of the storm and what was the laughter of the sea beast passing overhead. Whatever the case, beneath them a vortex had opened up and begun spinning their ship like a leaf caught in an emptying drain. Several people on deck with Sascha were tossed overboard like children's playthings and so he gripped all the harder onto the side of the ship as it spun about. Another snapping sound. Sascha expected it to be the entire ship, but instead the main mast came crashing down into the center of the deck. Several people fell lifeless beneath its weight and Sascha tore his eyes away from the sight, focusing instead on gripping the wood for dear life. His knuckles clutched on so tightly that the skin shown pearly white in the darkness.

The ship dipped forward again and, combined with the spinning of the whirlpool, sent the ship into a slow-motion flip that veered abnormally to one side. It seemed like a strange dream as Sascha's grip were ripped away by the movement and he fell into the sea. Though he was aware that others were doing the same all around him, he focused only on himself and taking in a deep lungful of air before he was submerged.

At first he was rational. _Conserve the air you have by releasing only small amounts at a time. Kick and push yourself forward until you reach the surface. Grab for anything to hold you above the waves._ And then it became increasingly obvious that his rationed breaths were running out. He became desperate and wasted precious energy forcing himself in what he hoped was an upward direction. It was almost shocking when he was able to take another deep gulp of air before the vortex sucked him back down with the ship.

The logic had abandoned him and instead instinct guided him. _Go up. Follow whatever spark of light you can._ This time the current fought him and he couldn't make any distance in its pull. His panic caused him to release more air than he would have liked. Somehow, he managed to resurface, but not long enough. His deep breath was tainted with sea water at the end and as he went down he fought the urge to cough. Just one more time -- he prayed to any gods that might be listening. Just one more time so that he could cough and catch his breath. But the seconds dragged on and the small glimmer of light that he could see grew further away. His arms and legs were too tired to keep fighting against the pull and his vision began to narrow. Sascha's urge to cough finally won out and instead his lungs were greeted with mouthfuls of salt water instead of air. It burned and ached and made him want to vomit. His fingers clawed instead at his throat as he thrashed around in the sea and continued plummeting downwards. His oxygen-starved mind began leaving him feeling paralyzed. Why should he feel afraid? He was acutely aware of the sloshing that did not belong within him but his darkening vision slowly settled on a new light. In desperation, he reached out for it, but seemed completely incapable of moving towards it himself. As it turned out, he didn't need to. The little blue light gently drifted in his direction and illuminated the darkness around him. As his fingers curled around it, the chill of sea ceased. Even though he knew he was still drowning and understood quite plainly he was going to die, he felt none of it. He opened his hands enough to gaze down at a little glowing seed and, though he might never truly understand what it was, he knew it to be more than just a seed itself. He clutched it tight to his chest, thinking apologies Lorelei would never hear for breaking his promise. He hoped one day the silver dragon could forgive him.

His arms and legs were no longer his. They refused to respond to even the simplest commands. His terror was gone, but so was his peace. Sascha sank deeper, seed still in his hands, and joined the wreckage of the ships below.

*~*~*~*

Lorelei chased Ferreus to the edge of the woods with the sea dragon uprooting trees as he went. The silver dodged each tree as it hurtled into his path and grimaced when branches clawed at the sides of his tender body. Even as he flew he could feel deep wounds that Ferreus had left in him from their battle over the sea, but the snake had not stopped moving and neither could he. In the distance, he watched as Ferreus smashed his lower body into the homes of the elves and heard their terrified screams as they tried to figure out what was happening. As Lorelei smashed against Ferreus and sent the two of them rolling across the grass, he noted that an elven woman hung limp in his jaws and he felt fury boiling up within him as he began clawing apart the fragile looking fins until they hung like tattered curtains off the Great Wyrm's body.

Lorelei started in again at the damage he'd been doing to the sea serpent's neck. He'd already ripped apart the flesh and removed multiple large scales just from continually attacking the same area, but in this moment he was able to finally puncture through the muscle and the meat with Ferreus howling in rage and pain next to his ear. Lorelei's claws scratched at the wound, deepening the gashes, while his teeth tore aside veins and ripped out muscle mass until he could see the beating heart beneath. 

Ferreus, in desperation, jolted him with several lightning bolts directly to the silver's chest until Lorelei released him. He struggled to rise into the air, but darted away as fast as his failing body would allow. As Lorelei gave chase, Ferreus attempted blocking his path with mighty winds and blinding rain. His injury, however, slowed him and Lorelei reached him easily and latched onto his neck once more. The two of them tumbled back into the trees with Lorelei standing triumphantly on top of him with his mouth wide open.

Before Ferreus could force the younger dragon off of himself, Lorelei's fangs clamped down around his opponent's heart and began tugging at it. He shook his head back and forth wildly like a dog while Ferreus thrashed about beneath him in excruciating pain. In mere moments, Lorelei had managed to wrench the massive heart out of the gashes he'd made and let it fall onto the earthen floor. His body gave out and he collapsed on top of the sea serpent and struggled to regain his breath. When he finally felt he had enough energy to move, he slowly lifted his head to see that the remaining elves had gathered around him. Their eyes were wide with horror as they took in the scene. Lorelei's shimmering silver scales were coated thick with Ferreus' blood, his mouth stained red, while his claws were soaked and bits of the sea dragon's flesh still clung to them. Their eyes slowly moved from Lorelei standing atop the sea dragon and to the removed heart that seemed bigger than Lorelei himself. Even as rational thought returned to the silver dragon, he found himself trying to fathom how he had managed to wrest the organ from Ferreus' body. Though it was slightly misshapen from Lorelei's less than pristine removal, it was still clear what it was. Slowly, Lorelei stepped down from the corpse of the former Great Wyrm and tried not to recoil when all the elves stepped back from him. When it became apparent no one planned to say anything to him, he flew away at once to tend to the wounded starting with the dwarves.

To his immense confusion and dismay, most remaining dwarves were corpses littered along the shore. Yet, when he went search for others, he could not find them. There were no signs of death, but there were no signs of life either. The best he could hope for were the children who had been tucked safely away in the back of the cave during the battle. He then returned to the village. He reunited with Magni and Gabriel who had managed to lead a portion of the people halfway to the elven village before noticing that the fight had moved that way and halted their progression to wait for safe passage. Lorelei thanked them for keeping their word and hesitantly found the name leaving his lips.

"And Sascha? Where is Sascha Strand?"

Magni and Gabriel began looking around, both confused, "He were with us when we set out. He should be here somewhere, Mister Lorelei, don't fret."

Though he agreed they must be right, he felt a weight already settling deep inside of him of what might have happened, but obligation kept him moving. He returned to the elves who seemed more than displeased at his return. It was Karina who stood before them all, handing out dwarven weapons to those who seemed to side with her. In Elvish she shouted to them words that Lorelei chose to block out as he strode past them all. Though armed, none raised an axe or spear to strike him. Lorelei left behind the corpse, but took possession of the heart and left the woods again. Though he longed to help bury their dead and tend their wounded, he could clearly see that would not be permitted.

Instead he left the heart in the dwarven cave and bade the children to stay away from it and remain there until he returned. Though he could feel sleep once again begging for his company, Lorelei pushed through it and made his rounds among the people. He casually tried to ask about Sascha, but everyone who knew who he was simply shrugged. They didn't know. Most were too preoccupied reuniting with their families or friends and making sure their homes were still standing and their possessions still salvageable.

The group that had traveled with Magni and Gabriel slowly returned to the village and, though many stared in awe at Lorelei's blood-soaked robes, none made comment of it. Even as he wandered the streets calling Sascha's name, he heard their whispers of how he could have possibly bested the ancient dragon. He tried not to let the whispers get to him, but even he could not fathom how he was victorious. Perhaps he actually was dead and this was simply a hallucination. After an hour of wandering, he made a tearful reunion with Florian who ignored the bloodied garments and hugged the dragon tightly to his chest.

"My friend...please." Lorelei's eyes bore such strong anguish that Florian felt compelled to look away as the dragon continued speaking. "Please. Where is Sascha? Did you see him?"

Florian did not meet Lorelei's gaze, staring instead towards the shore. In the moment, Lorelei was too tired and too desperate to think anything of it. His eyes focused instead on the old man's face and he begged him, tears welling up as he did so. "Where is he, Florian?"

"I don't know. I never saw him." Florian, still without looking at Lorelei, lowered his head and stared instead at the ground. "I'm going to help survivors reunite with families. I'll ask around and look for him."

Florian, Magni, and Gabriel had managed to gather every orphan between the humans and the elves and escorted them to the cave before the suns had fully risen. They carefully led them around the heart of the sea dragon that Lorelei had left in the cave's mouth and told them to wait for Lorelei's return. The three of them together waited outside the cave for Lorelei whose first question was of Sascha. None of them had an answer. Rather than succumb to hopelessness, Lorelei decided instead to grasp onto the hope that at least no one had found his corpse.

He strode past the human men and into the cave. The children waiting inside numbered around thirty-five individuals and they stood in a half-circle staring in awe at the heart of Ferreus. The men who followed Lorelei inside briefly chastised them for not listening about staying in the back of the cave, but the children ignored them and instead addressed Lorelei as he gazed at the heart with them. "Mister Dragon, what's gonna happen to us?"

The normally white beard was brown with dried blood and his shaking hands rested on the heart as he carefully froze it to preserve it until he could decide what to do with it. Even through the hair and blood, his frown was evident. Once the heart was fully frozen he whispered. "I will look after you. If I might have your blessing, dwarves, we could stay here."

The dwarven children gave their permission and Lorelei graciously thanked them before giving the men his thanks and asking, if at all possible, they could watch the children while he disappeared for a while to rest. They agreed to stay with the children in shifts while Lorelei disappeared down the familiar stone pathway that Sindri had led him through to the waterfall. He stepped around the mountains of gold and precious gems as though they were merely mounds of dirt in his way. He let himself collapse at the reflecting pool and stared into his own tired eyes for several hours before sleep gave him respite from the night's battle.


	9. Part Nine

When Lorelei rose from the reflecting pool, he felt as though the sleep he'd taken part in had been nothing more than a pleasant thought to cross his mind. His body ached, his mind felt heavy, even breathing left him feeling weak. The scent of blood clung strongly to his nostrils and he struggled to force himself to clean off in the reflecting pool. While wandering the section of the cave, he came across several sets of robes. Most were sized, as expected, for dwarves, but he was able to stumble across some that he recognized as the handiwork of wood elves that fit him rather well. Dressed in dark yellow, Lorelei hobbled out of the area to rejoin with the men.

It was Magni who greeted him in hushed tones so as not to wake anyone. Beyond the cave mouth nightfall sparkled above the sea. The frozen heart sparkled in the light pouring in from the two moons and it took Lorelei a great deal to gaze in any direction other than directly at it. "Mister Lorelei, I didn't expect ya to wake so soon." He eyed the hand that Lorelei clutched to his side. "I reckon ya need to be mended up, aye?" Before he could argue, Magni had disappeared out into the night. He returned soon after with a young dwarven woman that Lorelei thought he recognized simply by her eyes who led him back into the treasure room for treatment.

She maintained a very serious expression while tending to the various wounds on Lorelei's body, but did not speak with him. It was this silence that made Lorelei realize she was one of the guards who had watched over Ferreus' cave. Without her adamantine armor she still commanded respect and felt rather imposing despite her diminutive stature. In hushed tones, Lorelei found himself apologizing to her for the loss of the dwarves.

The dwarf gave no facial response to his words, but did finally reply. Her voice came rough and low from her throat, like two stones being slowly rubbed back and forth over one another. It seemed she rarely spoke at all even when she were permitted to. "It weren't your fault, dragon. We knew what might happen."

"Even so," he inclined his head to her. "I extend my condolences all the same."

There was a pause in her medical care and she looked up at him with an expressionless face. "Did you do something to Sindri and the others?"

"I beg your pardon?"

The first shred of something spread across her face. As quickly as it appeared, it fled and she was left as smooth as marble. "During the battle, some strange light appeared over the cave. It seemed to come from the ocean. Afterwards, most of my people were gone." Her eyes lowered to focus on the wound at Lorelei's side once more. "No corpses. No screams. Just there one moment and gone the next. Weren't sure if it was you or something else."

Though Lorelei had no answer to give, it gave him a small amount of relief that Sindri and his people might possibly still be alive somewhere. "I'll try to look into it. Perhaps they're nearby."

It seemed she had no more to say, however, and finished Lorelei's care in silence. Once she had done all her hands were capable of doing, she inclined her head respectfully to the silver dragon and left the same way she'd come. He wondered if it bothered her that he had taken residence in what he could only assume was Sindri's previous dwelling. Though the idea of mountains of gold and jewels sounded proper for a dragon to own, he felt no pull towards the glimmering wealth before him. His heart yearned to see Sascha whole and happy and to feel his heart pounding strong in his chest. The mere thought sent pain coursing through him and rather than rejoin with Magni as he had planned, he curled up again by the reflecting pool to resume his rest.

*~*~*~*

The hand that grasped his shoulder to shake him awake belonged to Gabriel. Though still weary, he managed to stand more easily after the dwarven woman's care. It felt good to be clean again, even if not entirely whole. Gabriel offered a small smile, handing him a tiny plate with bread and cheese atop it. "It isn't much now, but thanks to all ya done, we can soon bring home good food again." Lorelei stared numbly at the plate that he now held and felt somehow empty. It was all over. Though he had triumphed, he felt as though there really should be more to do. It couldn't truly be so simple that he were allowed to stand here with his lungs full and functioning when so many others lay dead at the bottom of the sea.

An uncomfortable silence settled between them before Lorelei slowly passed the untouched food back to Gabriel. "I'm not really hungry, but thank you. Has... Has anyone found Sascha?"

Gabriel frowned, shaking his head. "Not a word about the young one, I'm afraid. Don't worry, though. Last I saw him, he was full of fire for doin' as ya asked."

"What about Florian? Is he nearby?" Lorelei slowly settled into a sitting position, watching Gabriel's expression turn sour.

"Ah, no. He's run off. Doin' stuff around town. Shall I fetch him for ya?" Judging by the tone of Gabriel's voice alone, it seemed he didn't truly wish to have to deal with Florian face-to-face.

Still too exhausted to deal with trivial drama, Lorelei decided against it and shook his head. "No, no. That's quite alright. I need to visit the people myself and see how I can help."

The strong hand rested once more on the dragon's shoulder. "No sir -- you'll help plenty by restin'. Ya can worry about the people tomorrow, aye? Time to care for yourself for now." He smiled slightly, shaking his head. "That dwarf made me promise to keep ya in bed. I dunno if a rock really counts as a bed, but..." With a shrug, he turned to go, but paused with the plate in his hand. Without a word, Gabriel rested the plate beside Lorelei as he lay back against the stone and then strode out into the cave. With nothing more to do, Lorelei succumbed to the emptiness of sleep once more.

Though he feared having dreams each time he lay down again, none ever came. His sleep gave him a blissful reprieve into darkness where none could trouble him. Yet, every time he woke, he found himself reaching for a body that wasn't there next to him. His fingers closed around empty air instead of Sascha's sleeping form and he bit on his tongue to keep from whispering his name. Though he had no nightmares, his continued resting finally brought him to the point of tossing and turning on the stone. When he awoke with tears on his cheeks, he finally gave up and strode out into the cave.

The first sight to greet him was the cold heart of Ferreus. Besides the heart, the cave was empty. Out on the beach Lorelei heard the laughter of children playing and it left him feeling confused for a moment to hear such an unfamiliar sound. After years of having to keep children away from the water's edge, it was hard to bite his tongue on calling them away. Yet the smiles on their faces melted his heart and, no matter how heavy his tired soul felt, it was an answered prayer to see their joy even in chaos' wake.

"You're awake."

Florian came to stand beside the silver dragon who was focused on the playing children outside. The sunshine caused the ocean to glitter and, even from here, Lorelei felt envious of the warm sand beyond the cave mouth. The two men stood together watching while elven children cautiously played with humans and dwarves. Lorelei hoped that, in time, they would find a means of letting go of the hatred taught to them by their parents.

"You've had a visitor, but we sent him away until you were ready to meet with people." Florian spoke again. "Some old wizard. Not sure anyone has seen him around before."

"I know of no wizard." Lorelei muttered, eyes focused on the shore. "I'll speak with him when he returns. Did he say what he wanted?"

The old man shook his head. "No, just preferred to speak with you rather than any of us. Stubborn old geezer, though."

Lorelei smirked, finally turning his head to speak with Florian face-to-face. "You're one to talk."

Florian almost at once looked away from Lorelei and took a small step backwards when put under his gaze. "The people wanted to thank you. Even with all the casualties, not a single home or business was touched during the battle in our village. If we wanted, we could continue our lives there."

Lorelei felt himself frowning. "If you wanted?"

Florian nodded to Lorelei's feet. "Many feel uncomfortable here after all that has happened. Most talked of perhaps leaving."

The dragon snorted. "They waited a little late to make such a choice, but I understand. At least now it's safe to travel." There was a pause while Lorelei hesitated on the question. "I'm sorry to ask again, but..."

"Sascha?"

The dragon slowly nodded.

The old human slowly looked up at Lorelei, but focused on Lorelei's lips rather than his eyes. "There's been no word."

Nodding more-so to himself than to Florian, Lorelei returned his gaze to the beach. It was hard to hold back whatever emotion was welling up within him now. More than anything else, he just felt lost. "I'm going to town, Florian. I would ask that you accompany me." The silver eyes closed as he took in a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. "I don't wish to speak to anyone, so I'm hoping to selfishly use you as a buffer from the people."

A confused expression passed over Florian's face, but he nodded to show he was willing to do as Lorelei asked. "Of course. Just let me know when you're ready to go."

After a couple minutes exchanging words with Gabriel and Magni to ensure they could handle thirty something children on their own, the two men made their way back into the village. Florian dutifully stayed at Lorelei's side and, though they both allowed excited cheering as they passed, Florian put himself between the dragon and any person who approached them to speak at length. When Florian finally realized where Lorelei had led them, his shoulders slumped.

"You...you know we already checked here?" he asked, watching Lorelei gaze at the front door to Sascha's home.

Lorelei didn't respond, eyes clouded with memory. He stepped past Florian and gently opened the door before slowly stepping inside. Florian did not follow and Lorelei quietly shut the door behind him. The silver irides scanned the room. The unmade bed, the curtains on the windows thrown wide open, their tea cups still sitting on the table where they'd talked during the day before the battle went underway. The small dwelling did not contain Sascha, though it hung heavy with his scent in every corner of the room. Lorelei breathed in deep and held it until his lungs pained him from the effort.

He did not stride further into the room. For now, looking alone felt enough. The unmade bed and open curtains told Lorelei most of what he needed to know for now. His fight with Ferreus had awoken him much like it had awoken everyone else in the village. Sascha had most likely jumped out of bed and seen the chaos outside before running into the street to gather the people. Yet, it was Magni and Gabriel who had led most of the survivors to the mountain range -- they had seen him, but Lorelei had neglected to question where at.

The only thing the silver dragon touched was the key to Sascha's home. He pocketed it after exiting and locking the door behind him. In this way, he felt sure Sascha would be forced to find him first should he return. Out in the street, Florian stood with his shoulders slumped and eyes studying the ground underfoot. Lorelei quietly led them back to the cave while Florian resumed his duty of keeping people away from the tired dragon.

As they neared the cave, Lorelei held out an arm to stop Florian from proceeding. Even from here, he recognized the angry half-elf at the cave. Despite the tears on her cheeks, her beauty was unmatched by her fellows in the wood, and neither was her fury. The two human men stood shoulder-to-shoulder at the cave entrance and barred her from entering. The children were safely inside while Magni and Gabriel let the woman shout in their faces.

"WHERE IS HE? Where is the demon Lorelei?"

"I'm here." Lorelei strode forward, still motioning for Florian to stay back. "I ask that you please leave my friends and my children be."

Karina rounded on him with her dark hair flying somehow elegantly around her opposite shoulder. "You filthy snake! You killed our mother and then stole our children! YOU DARE ASK ME TO LEAVE?"

"Oh no, you're perfectly fine staying." Lorelei felt a small smile creep onto his face. "I merely respectfully ask that you leave everyone else alone. Your quarrel does seem to solely be with me, am I wrong?"

Karina's already livid face seemed to stretch painfully to make room for more rage. In Lorelei's mind, it was a truly impressive feat. Before either Karina or Lorelei could say more, Florian was stumbling towards her with his mouth agape. Blind to her words, he stuttered out her name and slowly approached her. "By the gods, how you've grown."

If the half-elven woman were capable of self destructing, it seemed evident to all but Florian that she would have done so at this moment. The disgust etched upon her features was the only thing Lorelei had seen to mar her beauty in the slightest. "Don't touch me. I know who you are."

Florian hesitated, slowly lowering the arm he had extended to her. "I've missed you so much. I'm so glad you're alright. What about Sebastian? Your mother?"

At the mention of Cerise, the fire returned to her eyes. "You dare speak about my mother? Why don't you ask your precious Lorelei? Ask the snake what happened!" Florian glanced over his shoulder to Lorelei as dawning comprehension crossed the dragon's face. The elven woman Ferreus had held in his teeth -- had that been Cerise?

"We found her split in two at the edge of the forest!" Karina's words were like daggers for both Lorelei and the old man. How was he to have known? Everything had happened so quickly. The only thing he'd known to do was kill him before more could fall. "While we sought to bury our dead, he came behind our backs and robbed us of our children!"

Lorelei strode forward, pushing Florian behind him once more. "I sent my men to gather your orphans. I intend to care for them since no one else can."

"WE CAN PROTECT OUR YOUNG," Karina pointed a dagger at Lorelei. "We can raise them together. You have no right interfering when it's your fault those children have lost their families. I demand you give them back to us!"

Lorelei cast no concern for the dagger and instead strode directly up to her. He seemingly grew in height as he crossed the sands and gently plucked the blade from her fingers as she stared up into his eyes. "If you can produce direct kin for any of the children I have taken, I will send them back to you. For now, go home, Karina."

Even with Lorelei towering over her, Karina did not budge. She gazed straight up into the silver orbs and spat her words at him. "You're going to be sorry for what you did, snake. Just wait and see." As she turned to go, Lorelei called to her. Karina, surprisingly, turned to face him and deftly caught the dagger Lorelei tossed back to her.

"Take good care of it. I'm pretty sure Sindri himself made that."

"That just means you'll truly appreciate it when I carve your heart out of your chest with it."

The four of them watched her vanish across the sands back to the woods in silence. Slowly, Magni and Gabriel returned to the cave to check on the children inside while Florian slowly knelt into the soft sand. Lorelei went to him one he could no longer see Karina in the distance, lowering himself painfully to the ground and putting an arm around him.

"She just needs more time, eh?" Florian laughed through a forming sob.

It dawned on Lorelei that Florian had somehow not heard her mention Cerise or could not remember her words. Rather than tell him now, he opted to wait as he felt sure Sebastian would soon be visiting them as well. Unable to speak any comforting words, Lorelei simply let the man release his pain in his embrace. It took some time, but eventually Florian managed to pull himself away from Lorelei's arm and begin drying his eyes. "I'm sorry, Florian. Even I can be wrong."

"You don't owe me any apologies, Lorelei." Florian struggled to his feet in the shifting sands and then offered a hand to the dragon to help him do the same. "You don't owe me anything at all."

As they entered the cave it was to the sight of Gabriel and Magni handing out food to the children inside. The meals were similar to what Gabriel had offered him earlier in the day and Lorelei frowned at the meager portions of bread and cheese. He pulled Magni aside, whispering to him, "They need more than this."

Magni shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "For now, it's all we've got. During the chaos, a lot of those poor bastards who boarded the ships took a good chunk of what food we had with 'em. I'd imagine it's all at the bottom of the ocean now. What we have here is what we could find in the Bed and Breakfast. Ya should be thankin' Florian for even this much."

Lorelei glanced over at Florian who had begun helping Gabriel pass out plates and smiled sadly. Even from here he could see the red lingering around the old man's eyes from his weeping on the shore. "I wanted to ask you, Magni. When you saw Sascha, where was he?"

"Ah, that. We met him at the docks tryin' to pull the people back to land. Poor lad got trampled on the pier and we decided to step in a bit. Once we were back on land, we lost sight of him, though." He paused in thought, rubbing his hand through his beard. "I assumed he was just draggin' people into our group as we went, but I ne'er saw him after that. Maybe Gabe did, though." With that, he waved Gabriel over and posed the question to him.

Gabriel, still holding two plates of food, gave the question some thought before slowly shaking his head. "Naw, I didn't see him after we left the dock. Maybe Florian, did?"

Lorelei spoke then, "No. I already asked."

"Really? That's strange." Gabriel began stepping backwards towards the unfed children waiting on the food he held. "I coulda' swore I saw him heading to the docks as we left."

Magni shrugged as Lorelei turned to look at him. "I don't think I saw him, but Gabe's got right better eyes than I do at this age."

Lorelei stood alone as Magni returned to the children. Uncertainly, he gazed at Florian who was doing his best to serve through his grief. It didn't strike him as something Florian would do as the man had never lied to him before, even in his youth. Still, Magni and Gabriel had slipped a small seed of doubt into him that, even now, he knew he would not be able to shake loose easily.

Casting aside the concern for now, Lorelei joined the others in their simple meal. He joked with the children and learned their names and who their parents were. He showed a small bit of majick and tried to not let on that even gentle snow flurries made his body ache. He spent time alone with the elven children and hoped his mere presence did not incite rage or inspire fear. They all did their best to ignore the only remnant of Ferreus that remained and instead enjoyed one another's company. Though he was sure many had already guessed, Lorelei was ready to assume a role as caretaker to these children. Though not in the way Karina believed, it was indeed still his fault that they were without families. He would be there for them until he had made it right again.

To his relief, none of the children seemed to harbor any hatred for him. Perhaps most were simply too young or not as informed as he had expected them to be. Maybe they simply just didn't care or were not blinded by petty alliances or squabbles. Whatever the reason, it was nice to see that even in trying times, their innocence and purity thrived. By the time they'd finished eating, the dragon found himself to feel exhausted even from minor spellcasting. He had to rely on Florian's guiding hand to return to the reflecting pool and was pleased to see even the human was not interested in the wealth stacked high around them.

Gently, Florian eased him down onto the stone and gazed up at the waterfall cascading down. "Where does this even come from?" He followed its path from up in the rocks, but no crack of daylight could be seen from its entry point.

Lorelei leaned back, wincing slightly as he followed the man's gaze. "It's a river beyond the woods. I doubt many know of it. That day you and Sascha tricked me out of information gathering to work on his map? I took him there."

Florian, neck still craned upward, frowned at the words. "I bet it was a nice day for the two of you." The man closed his eyes, "I remember you coming back that night. Sascha had this shimmer in his eyes and you had this smile you couldn't contain." Eyes open, his head slowly lowered to gaze into the reflecting pool. "It was something I was pleased to witness. I'm glad we managed to get you out of the village for a day."

The silver's thoughts returned to what he'd heard from Magni and Gabriel and his mouth opened to ask a question, but his lips refused to form the words. His tongue stayed useless in the bottom of his mouth and so he slowly shut it again and let them lapse into the silence. Without a word, Florian slowly turned to leave Lorelei with his head still hanging low. Lorelei called out to him, but with a voice so quiet it was unheard over the waterfall behind him.

He watched Florian vanish behind the stacks of gold as he made his exit and settled in for rest that he knew would not come. Instead, his thoughts drifted to the day at the river with Sascha. The casual kiss that had kept him awake once night had fallen, the way he'd graciously accepted Lorelei's corrections to his map rather than feeling hurt, and how vibrant his eyes had been in the sunlight. For a human, Sascha had eyes that made Lorelei feel at home. Almost as though he were in the presence of another silver like himself. He knew it to be inaccurate, but the gray eyes had always been a strangely comfortable place perhaps due to that fact alone. In times of frustration, he often had the same look Lorelei could recall from any of his irritated siblings where they became hard like steel. Or, on the other hand, when he felt most at peace and safe they took on the misty quality that Lorelei associated with comfort. It was never as exaggerated as for any of the dragons he knew, but it was there to an extent.

"Lorelei?"

Startled, Lorelei sat up a little too quickly and hissed at the pain he caused himself. "Yes?" he called, gripping his chest as he struggled to stand.

Florian turned the corner again, looking flustered. "That old wizard is back already. You still want to see him?"

Lorelei nodded and made his way over to Florian. "Yes, of course."

Without hesitation, Florian moved to the dragon's side and supported his weight against him. Together they made their way down the tunnel and into the open cave mouth. Gazing greedily at the heart was an old man nursing a pipe. As expected, he had never seen the wizard before, but he had no immediate bad vibes by simply gazing at him.

"You wanted to see me?" Lorelei called, still leaning into Florian for support.

The old wizard barely glanced at Lorelei, blowing out a puff of smoke as he continued to regard the heart before them. "That's a fine specimen you've got here. Good of you to keep it fresh like that." His free hand extended to rap his knuckles smartly against the ice. "I expect it'll keep for a long time like this."

Lorelei's eyes narrowed. "I hadn't decided what to do with it as of yet. May I ask how you came to know of it?"

"Oh." The wizard laughed, smoke billowing out of his mouth as he did so. Lowering his pipe, he turned to regard the weakened dragon. "Everyone knows. Tibaź may look grand from above, but she's a small place. Word travels fast." He gestured at the heart, "Especially for something like this." Taking another puff off the pipe, he began circling the heart as to examine it from all angles. At Lorelei's side, Florian stiffened and muttered under his breath to Lorelei that he had already thoroughly inspected the heart before now.

"Can I help you with something?" Lorelei asked, following the wizard with his eyes.

The wizard pointed to the heart with his pipe. "I know you do not care for gold, but I could offer anything else you desire in exchange for this fine potion ingredient." For the first time, he looked up to meet Lorelei's eyes. "My apologies, I understand that you are a dragon yourself, but even you cannot deny that this could be used to make very strong potions. I'd hate to see it wasted."

"It isn't up for bargaining." The dragon's reply came at once. Beside him, it was clear Florian expected him to begin increasing in height. When he didn't it became apparent just how weakened Lorelei currently was. "I intend to keep it for now. Should my mind change, I'm sure you'll know before I do."

The wizard smiled with the pipe held between his teeth. "Yes. Yes, I expect I will." He turned to leave and hesitated before making it fully outside. "Do keep in mind that a very good option would be to consume it yourself."

Lorelei and Florian exchanged glances. "Consume it?"

"Of course. If you wanted, you could gain all the power the sea dragon had by doing so." He removed the pipe, speaking more clearly as he gazed at the heart again. "It might take you a while, even in your dragon form, but I suppose you could finish eating it within a week or two." He slowly shook his head, crossing an arm over his chest. "It'd be a shame to lose it, but if you truly do not plan to part with it, then at least I would know it was not wasted."

Without introductions or farewells, the wizard parted, leaving them with more questions than answers. At once the two men began speaking in whispers to one another about the possibility of consuming the heart.

"Well, what else had you planned on doing with it?" Florian asked, the excitement in his voice on par with what Lorelei remembered of him as a young boy under his care.

"I don't know!" Lorelei shook his head, pulling away from Florian's helping hand. "I just wanted it out of the woods away from the elves. I knew hearts were good for potions, but I've never heard anything about eating them for power."

Florian smirked. "I don't imagine it'd be good dragon dinner conversation, no."

Lorelei stared at the frozen organ for several long minutes before finally looking to Florian. "Well, even the wizard said it would keep for a long time. I have the luxury to decide as long as I do not take too long to do so."

Scratching at his chin, Florian added, "Not to be dark or anything, but...if you were eating the heart, it would help the children to have slightly more to eat at meal times." He frowned apologetically at Lorelei's pained expression. "Don't let that be the deciding factor, but I could ration out what you would normally eat to them instead. It still wouldn't be much, but slightly fuller tummies are...preferable."

With the thought in mind, Lorelei nodded. "What about the villagers? Are they being taken care of?"

The human nodded. "Magni and Gabriel have taken charge of that. They won't be helping out at the orphanage forever."

"Orphanage..." Lorelei sighed. "It's a shame to call it that, but I suppose that's what this place is now."

"It doesn't have to be a bad thing, Lorelei." Florian attempted a smile. "You should feel proud to have them here at all. Things...could have gone a lot worse out there." He floundered for a moment, eyes spacing out as though he had remembered something unpleasant.

The humanoid hand Lorelei placed atop the block of ice felt no chill on its skin and it seemed to glimmer in his eyes as he gazed at it. "Florian, I talked with Magni and Gabriel earlier. They said the last time they saw Sascha was at the docks."

Florian didn't speak.

The fingers on the ice slowly moved across it, feeling out the shape and tracing along the tiny superficial fissures it bore. "They told me they saw you heading for the docks as they left, but were preoccupied and couldn't stop for you."

Still silence from the old man. Lorelei did not turn to face him, but let his hand fall away from the ice. "Why did you go to the docks? I asked you to stay inland."

"I wasn't there long." his answer came quickly. "No, I had gone to pull people back to shore. It was insane that night...everyone rushed for the ships without a second thought." He paused, swallowing audibly in the silent cave. "I left with a small group, but Sascha wasn't with us."

Lorelei gazed at his own face reflected back at him in the ice. "Are you sure you didn't see him?"

Florian was silent until Lorelei turned to look at him with damp eyes. It was the first time he'd seen the emotion in Lorelei's eyes now. Something akin to ice splintering, more gray than silver, and it made his throat tighten as he tried to speak. Making direct eye contact, the old man shook his head. "No, Lorelei. I did not see him."

The two of them continued to stare at one another and Florian could feel himself being sized up by the dragon's gaze, but dared not move. At long last, Lorelei gazed back into the ice as though it were a crystal ball that might have the answer he sought. "I'm sorry to keep pressing you, Florian." His voice sounded strained, as cracked as the imaginary ice in his eyes. "I'm just afraid. I don't believe he would have disobeyed me, but accidents happen. If I lost him in the fight..."

Though Florian had seen Lorelei cry, this was something entirely new to him. Lorelei braced both hands across the ice and lowered his head against it. He watched the shoulders shake with silent sobs and hesitated to reach out to him. The dragon was outlined in the dim glow of Lorelei's ice majick that emanated from the frozen prism. In Florian's hesitation, Lorelei let himself sink to the stone floor and release a guttural cry on his descent. Florian at once recalled the same sensation from his days in the wood when Lorelei spoke of his father's passing. He paused in responding, torn between going to his friend and running from the cave in shame. Even as he took a step towards the dragon, Lorelei had lifted his fists and begun punching into the ice in front of him. Frozen shards exploded beneath his hands and scattered across the floor as his sobs eased into a long, low roar that sent the hairs on Florian's arms into a standing position. As the dragon lifted his hands again, they shifted to claws that scratched deep chasms into the ice before him. Lorelei left them embedded when he ran out of strength to drag them further and fell back into his quiet tears.

Now thoroughly afraid, Florian remained motionless and watched Lorelei warily. He had to know he was being lied to and counted it a blessing that the dragon had turned his ferocity on a chunk of ice rather than on him. After it seemed a long enough amount of time that Lorelei would not lash out again, Florian joined him on the stone in silence. He rested one hand on the dragon's shoulder while the other gently tried to free his claws from the ice.

"You need to rest." he whispered to Lorelei, trying to ignore how he could feel his entire body shaking beneath his steadying hand.

Lorelei shook his head, beard matted with tears and dusted with soft powder from the ice. "I need Sascha."


	10. Part Ten

Awake, but feigning otherwise, Lorelei lay against the hard stone that felt more at home than a comfortable bed. Eyes shut, breathing lightly, keeping his body still of even slight finger twitches. The air smelled stale to him and he made the mental note of finding a way to change that if he intended to make this place a permanent residence. Though there was plenty of light from cracks in the stone, there was nowhere near enough plant life. It also occurred to him that he had yet to really explore the cave in its entirety. All he knew of the mountain was this chamber in which Sindri used to reside and the cave mouth itself. He knew there were bedchambers, a dining hall, a former pub, and more within its depths. If he truly intended to turn this place into an orphanage the way Florian had suggested, then it would need to be tailored to the needs of children rather than dwarven adults. Thankfully, most things would be within their height range.

"Hey, it's morning."

Before Lorelei opened his eyes, he listened to the sounds of the waterfall splashing nearby. He couldn't remember coming here to rest, yet here he lay, leaving him to assume Florian must have helped him back after his breakdown last night. When his eyes opened, Florian stood over him holding a small plate. Without seeing it, he could only presume bread and cheese. Once he held it in his hands he saw the assumption to be true, but gave a nod of thanks all the same and ate in silence while Florian hovered anxiously over him.

"I let the children play outside for now. A few of them opted to stay inside." Florian hesitated, choosing words carefully. "I think they're...homesick."

"You mean they're grieving." Lorelei answered before swallowing.

Florian nodded, looking away from Lorelei. "Should I...do something about that, or --"

Lorelei stood as he swallowed the remainder of his meal. "I'll speak with them." As he strode past Florian, he pushed the empty plate back into his hands before maneuvering through the maze of gold back to the open cave. In the night, the fragments of busted ice had melted, yet the heart still remained safely encased. For all the damage Lorelei had caused, he had not managed to reach even an inch away from the heart inside. His eyes moved beyond the grotesque sight to the children nestled in the back of the cave. He recognized two of them, but couldn't place where right away. His heart sank when he made the connection -- they were the children he'd seen with the pregnant woman while he'd made his rounds in the graveyard with Sascha. It wasn't only that which caused him grief, but the fact that neither of them held her baby in their arms. Beside the human boys, a young elven girl sat quietly twirling her hair around one finger. Though they sat together, none of them spoke.

Putting on a comforting smile, Lorelei joined them on the stone floor. "It's a beautiful morning. It would be a shame to waste it."

The humans glanced longingly at the outdoors, but even Lorelei could tell their hearts just weren't in it. The little girl looked up at Lorelei through the fringe of her hair, sizing up the mighty dragon who had slain Ferreus. "You don't seem evil." she said to him.

Lorelei continued smiling, "No. I wouldn't say that I am, but I suppose that depends on who you ask."

"My ma said you were a hero," one of the boys piped up. Beside him, the other nodded his head vigorously.

The little girl untangled her finger from the strand of hair she'd been coiling tightly around it. "My parents said you were a monster, but you just seem like a regular person."

"He's a dragon!" chimed in the other boy, seemingly gaining excitement for the first time since his arrival.

"I know that," the girl answered, sounding only slightly irritated. "They meant something else."

Gazing at them all, Lorelei surmised that the boys were roughly five and six-years-old, while the elf might be slightly older. Perhaps eight, even ten at the most. Though he had a personal connection to the human boys, his interaction with the elf held more weight in the moment and was a good chance to gain information he'd not been privy to since Florian returned to the village.

"What did they mean, do you think?" he asked her quietly.

Her eyes focused on her feet stretched out in front of her and she shook her hair out of her face before shrugging. "Iunno. They said we were hungry because of you. That it was all your fault the food was gone." With a sigh, she sat up a little straighter. "I think they were wrong, though. James said you guys have been really hungry, too. If you live here and you were really the problem, I don't think you'd want to be hungry. No one likes starving."

The older boy, apparently James, nodded his head to her words. "We haven't had food in a long time. We got used to being hungry, though. It's easy if you sleep through it." His younger brother, however, shook his head and whispered something that sounded like his stomach often woke him up in the night with growling.

Lorelei thought back to the wizard's explanation about the heart and Florian's adage that it would help the children have more to eat. It could be months before the fish in the area felt it safe to return to their waters, or even simply wild game like deer and rabbits. In the meantime, an extra slice of bread could mean everything to one of these young ones.

"Hopefully none of us will be hungry for very much longer," He sat up on his knees, preparing to stand. "Are you sure you don't wish to play outside? I won't force you, but the sunshine looks so nice even from here."

The two boys got up and ran for the sunlight and Lorelei smiled at the lack of coaxing it had taken, yet he felt sure he would see them hiding in the back of the cave again in time once left alone to their thoughts. The little elf still sat quietly in the shadows near him and when he returned his attention to her, he noticed the tears drying on her cheeks.

"I miss my mom and dad," she whimpered, raising her arm to dry her face on the sleeve of her shirt. "I know they're dead and I understand they weren't very good people...but it makes me sad." Eyes swimming with tears, she looked up at Lorelei with a weight he hated to see placed upon a child's shoulders. "I know it wasn't your fault, Mister Dragon. I'm sorry we treated you so bad."

It was that moment that gave Lorelei both overwhelming pain and a plethora of hope. It hurt him to watch this girl breaking, but the words she spoke were well beyond her years and gave him hope for the elves that he had nearly discarded entirely with every interaction with Cerise and her daughter Karina. Cautiously, he held out his arm to her and was surprised when she accepted the hug. "You need not apologize, but I thank you. I'm sorry things have gone so terribly awry."

Sniffling, but calmer now, the girl pulled back from the hug and sat on her knees in front of him. "My name's Colette. If you need protection in the woods, you can take me with you. I'm real good at sneakin' around. I know the trees better than anybody."

He laughed, inclining his head in thanks. "I appreciate the offer. I may one day take you up on it, Colette." With great effort, he made it into a standing position and stretched out his spine. Colette stood at his side, putting out one small hand as though to catch him should he fall. After some casual conversation back and forth, she agreed to make her way outside with the others.

However, as she moved towards the cave mouth, she stopped beside the frozen heart and stared at it intently. Slowly, she turned on her heel to ask, "What are you going to do with this?"

Lorelei stared at it rather than at Colette, thinking over the words of Florian, the wizard, and the children from mere moments ago. Having finally reached a decision he said, "I suppose I'll be eating it."

Colette grimaced. "That sounds really gross."

Lorelei chuckled, nodding his head in agreement. "Honestly, it really does."

As the young elf moved on, Lorelei began relocating the heart into his resting chamber. Florian was seated at the reflecting pool, but rose as Lorelei entered looking a little surprised. "So, you've made up your mind, then?"

After settling it in a mostly empty corner, Lorelei nodded and held back a whimper of pain. "I need to refrain from such majick for a while, Florian. I'm still not at my best."

The human made his way over to him, helping to guide him to the reflecting pool where he could rest. "How exactly do we proceed from here?" Florian's voice was tense, as though the idea left him uneasy rather than the act itself. "For all we know, the wizard could have lied to us. What if eating Ferreus' heart has adverse effects?"

The dragon hesitated, crossing his arms over his chest as he fell into thought. It was a genuine concern, given that it was certainly something he'd never heard spoken of within his clan. Now that they were gone, there was no one nearby to ask. He could either waste time attempting research on the matter, or simply take the stranger at his word and give it a chance. "I think, for now, it is worth the risk. I see no point in trying to dress it up as a fine meal -- I can eat it as is. No need to waste fine spices on such a crude thing."

Florian, still knelt at Lorelei's side, gazed at the heart in the distance with a worried look on his face. "I just wish we could be sure. But I'll trust you. If you think you can handle whatever might happen, just know I'm nearby to help if you can't."

With a small smile, Lorelei inclined his head. "Thank you, Florian. For now, you can start redistributing the food so that the children have my portion. I'll wait until nightfall, but I would ask that Magni and Gabriel be close by in case something does go wrong."

Nodding, the old man returned to a standing position. "I'll let them know. And I'm sorry, by the way." When the dragon didn't reply, Florian fumbled over his words as he tried to explain, "I know you well enough to know it must be maddening to need to rest so much. You're a lot of things, but weak isn't one of them. I just want you to know that no one thinks less of you for needing the extra time."

A light chuckle greeted Florian's words, the seemingly old hands grasping at one side as Lorelei suppressed a full laugh. "Now more than ever, I find myself not caring what anyone thinks of me. I just want to make things right. Nothing more." He settled back against the stone and stared up at the rocky ceiling above. "Please, do come fetch me after lunch time. I would like the chance to explore the cave a bit more so that we can begin renovating to better accommodate the children."

*~*~*~*

As requested, Florian returned to the reflecting pool and helped the dragon to his feet. They made slow progress shuffling around the piles within Lorelei's new resting chamber, but once beyond the room they were able to move a little easier. As they moved further back into the cave, Lorelei found himself staring at the torches lining the stone walls. Carved into the rock were painstakingly intricate designs. From his knowledge of the Dwarven language, nothing he could see appeared to be an actual message. It was simply something for them to enjoy on the walk. Together they first discovered the pub that contained multiple small tables and chairs with a long, low bar in the back for serving drinks. Lorelei found himself smiling at the memory from his childhood and hearing the song and dance from this far into the cave. Their joy truly could shake the very earth at its foundations.

The two men lingered in the pub while discussing how simple it would be to move the alcohol to the Bed and Breakfast while keeping the feel of a dining hall. At the moment, the children only numbered thirty-five, and so the size was perfect to accommodate them all. However, should they end up with others, they would need to find a way to expand.

"To be fair, Lorelei, the bar stools add a few extra seats." Running a hand through his graying hair, Florian scanned the room while turning slowly on the spot. "You could probably fit a few more tables, but perhaps no more than five. It'd be cramped, but if it's only children milling about in here, movement shouldn't be much of an issue. They're still slimmer than dwarves."

"Some of them are dwarves, Florian." Lorelei smirked, seated on one of the stools and leaning against the bar for support.

"Yeah, but they're...they're the small version." Florian's hand moved away from his hair as he shrugged. "I know, I know. They're all small. You know what I mean."

Trying and failing to withhold a laugh, Lorelei instead grasped at his aching side but didn't much mind the pain this time. "We may luck out. Since this is only the pub, there very well could be another area for eating in the cave."

Across from the pub, they found just such a place. Between the two rooms they could easily feed over a hundred children at once with a few additional tables and chairs. Lorelei tried not to dwell on the thought of a lack of food for any of them and instead reminded himself that it would not be forever. They made mental notes of how they wanted things situated before Florian helped Lorelei to his feet once more and half carried him down the hall. Once they had traveled farther in, the sunlight stopped reaching and the two had to pause while Florian withdrew matches to begin lighting the torches along the walls. Once the way was lit, Lorelei leaned against Florian once more.

"I believe we found a library." Florian's eyes went wide, staring around at all the books. "These aren't all in Dwarvish, either. I recognize some Elvish script over there."

Lorelei himself looked a little surprised, releasing himself from Florian and hobbling over to a very small collection of books in Draconic. "Sindri knew more than he let on. Perhaps my brother left these behind?"

They separated here and moved between the curved shelves in silence as though they had entered a holy place rather than a standard archive. While moving about the room separately they discovered that, though most books were Dwarvish in nature, many were also Elven and Common. Aside from the handful of Draconic tomes, there did not appear to be anything else out of the ordinary to catch their eye.

"Books on alchemy, a few children's stories, some cook books..." Florian's eyes moved between the spines of a predominately Elvish collection. "I suppose they traded for some of these over time."

Lorelei nodded, his eyes now scanning the furniture of the room which seemed to be mostly large, fluffy cushions and plush armchairs that he was almost certain he had seen carved by elven hands a hundred or so years ago. "Aside from adding a bit of plant life to enliven the air, this room seems perfect as it is."

Gesturing behind him, Florian pointed out that a small section of the library still held empty shelves. "You could always expand on the books your brother left behind." he suggested.

Lorelei, gazing around the room that was somehow perfectly lit by the sparse ceiling cracks, agreed with him silently. "I will have to go through the books to see what the children would enjoy and what they should perhaps not enjoy. At another time, though."

They continued their tour through the cave discovering both bedchambers and a communal hot spring for bathing. While Florian's mouth hung agape, Lorelei could only laugh at the image of Sindri relaxing in the spring with his beard floating on the water. Aside from changing out linens on beds, the dragon seemed pleased and deemed their search complete. As they made their way back to the cave mouth, Lorelei found himself feeling tired after the exertion and allowed Florian to help him rest on the stone floor where he could watch the children on the shore in the distance.

"We're in luck at how little needs to be altered." Florian grunted as he fell against the stone harder than anticipated while joining the dragon in his rest. "The men who build the ships can help build a few extra tables and chairs. Maybe even beds if you think you'll need them."

The silver eyes had found James and his younger brother building a sand castle together. Though James seemed bright-eyed and lost in the task, the younger seemed to have a look about him that suggested his thoughts were miles away. The young boy continuously cast glances to the sea beside them, but never made comment to James. If Lorelei had possessed more strength, he would have gone to him immediately to assuage his fears. As it was, even the mere thought of standing left him feeling drained. Though he could hear Florian's voice speaking beside him, he felt his head gently roll onto his friend's shoulder as he drifted off to sleep.

*~*~*~*

Come dinner time, Magni and Gabriel had rejoined the group at the cave and helped introduce the children to the dining area for the first time. To the dwarven children, it was a familiar place, and they at once ran to their favorite tables. Lorelei was pleased to see that, though the portion was still small, it had increased with his decision to forgo regular meals and instead eat a less appetizing substance. After ensuring that the children could be occupied alone in the dining hall, the three men followed along with Lorelei to the resting chamber.

Lorelei stared at the heart and was sure he imagined it pulsing beneath the ice. Behind him the others stood waiting, unsure how the dragon would approach the situation. Before Lorelei had worked up the courage to move, Magni cleared his throat, "So uh. Do we need to bust it open for ya?"

"No, getting it out is not the problem." Lorelei's eyes scanned the room, frowning. "I can't transform in here."

"You've transformed only your claws before and stayed human," Florian offered. "Would it not be the same for just the head?"

Initially, Lorelei opened his mouth to argue, but truthfully it shouldn't be much more difficult. Without having done anything yet, he could feel his body bracing for the pain that would come. "My mouth would not be the same size, but it would allow slightly more room than what a human would have." Still, he stood motionless, feeling as though the heart stared back at him. When Florian came to stand beside him, he nearly jumped at the hand the human placed on his arm.

"Are you afraid?" he whispered.

Lorelei's eyes lowered, feeling only slightly ashamed of the transparency of his fear. "I should not be."

Florian chuckled, squeezing the dragon's arm slightly. "How about this: focus on something else. What is something that gives you a sort of peaceful feeling that you can focus on?"

Already Lorelei could summon back the smell of Sascha's home with the ink, the parchment, the scent of his skin. He closed his eyes and nodded to the man next to him. "I have it."

Slowly, Florian guided Lorelei forward until he could place the dragon's hand on the block of ice for him. "Just focus on that, Lorelei. It won't take long."

Almost as soon as Florian had backed away to rejoin with Gabriel and Magni, Lorelei's head began contorting until his head shifted into its dragon form. Though he felt the pain from overexerting himself, he was able to block it out by focusing as Florian had suggested. Moments alone with just Sascha and Florian playing cards, drinking tea, making jokes, and nothing mattering outside of the small space they occupied. Lorelei's hand on the ice slowly melted the protective covering around the heart and he dug newly formed claws into it and ripped a chunk away. Whether or not it was thanks to the ice or his ability to be lost in the past, there was no discernible gamey scent before the muscle entered his mouth.

Initially, it just felt cold with no true flavor to be had. As the meat warmed in his mouth, he was more aware of the effort it took to chew through the unpleasant flavor. What it lacked in scent, it made up for in taste and rather than tasting of the land it tasted of the bitter sea. He felt himself gagging on the overwhelming flavor of brine. Once he'd swallowed, he hesitated and waited. It was almost a disappointment when he felt absolutely nothing other than a queasy stomach. Lorelei's claw hovered over the heart for a moment as he considered another bite. For the moment, however, he let his talons relax and began sealing the heart away again as his hand took its place on his arm.

Florian was once more at his side, ignoring the looks on Magni and Gabriel's faces as they tried to discern if they should hold him back or not. Staring at the scaly face of the young dragon, he softly spoke his name. When he moved a hand to Lorelei's back to hold him up in case of a sudden stumble, the draconic eyes snapped open and Florian took a step back in shock. For a brief moment, they shimmered shining gold before swirling back to their normal hue. Without knowing, the dragon slowly morphed back to the face they were accustomed to and tried to grip the slippery ice as he fell unconscious into Florian's arms.

"Magni, help me!"

Florian struggled under Lorelei's dead weight until Magni and Gabriel both assisted to pick up the weak form of Lorelei. Together they managed to lower him into his now familiar spot by the reflecting pool. After a brief moment of consideration, Gabriel disappeared for several moments before returning with large, plush cushions from the library that they arranged in a make-shift bed before moving Lorelei onto it. After they had gotten him settled, Gabriel muttered to himself that this was a far better bed than any rock could be.

After a few more minutes, Florian shooed the men away and asked if they would mind seeing the children to bed. They obliged and said they would return tomorrow to assist if they were needed. While everyone else retired for the night, Florian remained at Lorelei's side in attentive watch. His mind was focused on the sight of the golden eyes and how quickly they had vanished -- perhaps he'd startled himself with something imaginary? It could just as easily have been Lorelei's eyes reflecting the gold piles around them.

His eyes drooped many times, but always he managed to fight off sleep. Several times Lorelei twitched in his slumber with eyes scrunched tightly against something Florian could not see. The old-looking hands swatted away at things that Florian himself could not perceive and he slowly managed to lower the arms back down to Lorelei's sides and soothe him back to an easy rest. Even with just one portion, Florian's stomach felt sick watching the after effects. What would happen when he'd consumed more? Could he withstand this? Part of him hoped the wizard would return for them to question, but he doubted that they would.

All he could do was wait out the night at Lorelei's side and say prayers to gods he didn't believe in.

*~*~*~*

Feeling a presence next to him, Lorelei's hand closed around what appeared to be a wrist. His eyelids felt too heavy to lift, but his nostrils held the ghostly scent of paint fumes and old books. "Sascha?"

He felt the hand clasp onto his, but the voice that responded was older than the one he hoped to hear. "It's Florian. Are you fit to stand?"

Lorelei, eyes still shut, moved his head from side to side. "Water."

It took a few moments, but after several movements from Florian he felt a cup being pressed to his lips as the human tried to hold him in a sitting position. It was the first time that Lorelei had consumed any of the water from the reflecting pool and it surprisingly gave him the ability to sit up on his own almost instantaneously. With great effort, he managed to open his eyes and gaze at the human knelt beside him. Though he didn't understand what it meant in its entirety, he caught the look of relief on Florian's face once they saw one another eye-to-eye.

"So you're okay then?" Florian lowered the glass back to the water and passed it into Lorelei's now steady hands.

Lorelei didn't answer right away and instead chugged down the contents of his cup before refilling it again himself. After his third glass, he nodded to the concerned face at his side. "I'm perfectly fine, but certainly not hungry at the moment. Where are my children?"

A small smile appeared on Florian's face at the words. "They're having lunch around now. You slept a long time."

Now feeling more awake, Lorelei was able to notice just how exhausted Florian himself looked. The bags under his eyes weren't as dark as he had seen them at other points in his life, but the tinge of gray was noticeable to the dragon all the same. "Have you slept?" he asked, setting the glass aside.

Florian laughed, getting to his feet and offering Lorelei his hand. "I haven't even eaten yet."

To the human's surprise, Lorelei shook his head and gently pushed the hand Florian offered away. "I don't think I could remain on my feet for long. I'll stay here until evening. Have there been any visitors?"

Florian nodded, "I didn't see them, but Magni said a few people stopped by. Probably villagers wishing to extend their gratitude. Whatever it was didn't cause enough trouble for me to be called."

Lorelei nodded, leaning back into the plush cushions. "Let me know if the wizard returns."

"Only the wizard?"

A moment of silence passed where it seemed perhaps Lorelei had drifted off to sleep. At long last, he finally replied, "Sebastian or Karina, too. I don't think I have the energy to deal with your daughter, but I feel that my presence is needed if she returns."

With the promise that Florian would come to wake Lorelei for dinner, he left the dragon at long last to get a meal for himself. After a few minutes of his absence, Lorelei began to drift off again but was startled awake by Magni's voice as he entered.

"Sorry, you aren't already asleep, are ya?"

Lorelei sat upright in the hopes of holding his exhaustion at bay, "No, not yet. Is everything alright?"

Magni nodded, standing several feet away from him with his arms crossed. "Just checkin' up on ya. Florian stayed with ya all night and day. Don't think the poor bastard has slept or eaten at all until now." Magni's eyes scanned Lorelei up and down for a brief moment before asking, "How do ya feel, by the by?"

The dragon chuckled. "Tired. More tired than I have ever been in my life."

Magni waited silently for Lorelei to say more, but it seemed the dragon had said all he planned to. With a sigh, he let his arms fall to his sides. "Look, I didn't want to tell Florian 'cuz I knew the damned fool would worry even more, but that wizard came back today. Seemed right concerned that the heart was gone from up front." He scratched at his beard absentmindedly as Lorelei focused intently on him. "Told him it weren't none of his business where it went, but I think he knew all the same. Tried to get a name, but he didn't seem keen on sharin'."

"Do you know where he went?" Lorelei was already moving as though to stand, but Magni immediately moved forward and knelt before him to push him gently back down again.

"I do know where, but you ain't fit to move, Mister Lorelei. Don't worry. The ol' gaffer is stayin' nearby. He don't seem to want to leave any time soon." As Magni spoke, Lorelei stopped fighting against the hand that held him down. "You'll have plenty of time later when ya can stand without Florian carryin' ya around like a babe, eh?"

Defeated, Lorelei nodded and the man moved his hand away from the dragon's chest. "Please, if he returns lead him to me. I give permission for him to enter this chamber. I have questions about the heart that no one else can answer for me. I need to understand what is happening to me."

Eyebrows furrowed, Magni gave a single firm nod. "I don't like it, but I trust ya. Will do, Mister Lorelei." Before he stood again, he cast a glance at the frozen heart. "Are ya gonna be eatin' again tonight?"

A sigh that bordered on a whimper escaped from the silver as he nodded.

"Need me and Gabe nearby again?"

"I would appreciate it if you could both be. Just in case."

Magni nodded, getting to his feet. "As ya wish, then. I'll see ya at dinner time. For now, rest." He paused long enough to refill the glass Florian had left behind and then returned to whatever task awaited him outside the cave.

Without anyone around, the hours passed like eons for Lorelei. They were torturous in their loneliness and yet he found himself thankful for a brief moment of respite without anyone hovering over him looking anxious. His mind wandered through the events of the fight as he recounted every little detail. Some moments flashed before his eyes vividly while others felt dull and lifeless in his mind. Though he couldn't quite place it, some memories seemed jumbled. A few instances where vantage points didn't quite match up with what he remembered experiencing himself. Before he could put a finger on it, he drifted off again.

*~*~*~*

Like the night before, the three men stood away from Lorelei as he assumed a shape that would make it easier to eat larger chunks of the sea dragon's heart. More prepared for the taste this time around, Lorelei managed to withhold on gagging or grimacing in disgust. The salty flavor seemed to coat his tongue like a thick sheet and felt somehow suffocating in its intensity. It was a struggle to not think about exactly what he was consuming, but soon it was over and he managed to catch himself before hitting the ground.

The men surrounded him at once while he remained on all fours on the stone floor. Magni and Gabriel had a tenseness to their shoulders even while their faces appeared calm, but Florian was the one to get face-to-face with Lorelei and gaze at the closed lids.

"Lorelei?" he whispered, pulling him bodily into a kneeling position.

The dragon nodded his larger than usual head in response, but did not speak. The three men watched as he took in a deep breath and exhaled a strange flurry of snow that somehow bore the scent of the sea. A quick glance shared between the three of them let them know that they had all noticed it while none chose to actually mention it. When Lorelei returned to his human form and opened his eyes, Florian was relieved to see that they were still silver.

"Come on, old friend. Time to lay you down."

The three men worked as one to ease Lorelei into the cushions and pass him a glass of water from the reflecting pool. Lorelei barely managed to drink it before falling into an uneasy rest. Standing over him, the three of them conversed in whispers as Magni and Gabriel tried to argue with Florian that he needed to sleep.

"You're dead on your feet, Florian."

"I rested earlier in the day."

"Ten minutes don't count for nuthin', ya damned fool."

"I'll make do."

Exasperated, Gabriel lightly shoved Florian so that he stumbled slightly and had to catch himself before toppling into a pile of gold. "You're no use to Mister Lorelei in your state. You're better off sleepin', ya understand?"

Florian scoffed at their concern and insisted he was fine. Irritated, the two men left with the promise of returning the next day. While Florian settled in to watch over Lorelei for the rest of the night, he struggled to swallow his yawns and often shook his head violently to clear it of the urge to doze. Only an hour had passed before he noticed Lorelei had begun breaking out in a cold sweat. Taking a handkerchief from his pocket, he soaked it in the pool and gently ran it across Lorelei's fevered brow. More-so than the night before, Lorelei tossed and turned in his sleep. Florian found himself once again forcing Lorelei's arms down to his sides as he clawed at invisible bonds in the air before him. 

"There's no need to be afraid." Florian's voice took on a tone that he had not used in many years, gently shushing the pained murmurs and moans as Lorelei contorted in his sleep. It felt like he were watching over his children when they had nightmares and reminding them when they woke that he was still here and watching over them.

At some point, Florian's sleep-deprived mind won out and he willingly slumped over on the stone next to Lorelei in hopes of napping. With every twitch and groan, Florian startled awake to check on the silver again as though he were a newborn. Even with being willing to rest, it seemed he would not find any in this way.

When morning finally came, the gray circles beneath his eyes were darker than when Lorelei had first seen them. Though he managed to struggle through the day until Lorelei awoke in the afternoon, it was clear he was forcing himself to stand without staggering. Thankfully, Lorelei seemed more out of it than he himself was, and so made no indication that he was aware of the circles beneath his eyes or the growling of his stomach. Without words passing between them, Florian passed him water and wiped the sweat from his face that did not seem to cease.

Magni arrived well before dinner to see Florian still doting on the dragon. With a slight roll of his eyes, he strode over to him and asked if he could assist Gabriel in the kitchen. Florian rose, stumbled a bit, but managed to make his way unaided out of the chamber. Once sure he was gone, Magni turned to Lorelei. "I don't think you're up for it, but that wizard is waitin' outside. Do I turn him away or send him in?"

Lorelei, though unable to speak clearly, nodded his head and motioned for an invisible visitor to join him. With a nod, Magni abandoned him long enough to return with the wizard. Much like he had surveyed the heart, the old man surveyed Lorelei. Still holding a pipe in one hand, he was at least courteous enough to blow the smoke away from the weakened dragon. After a few moments, his eyes darted to the partially eaten heart frozen in a corner as if to hide it from sight and smirked.

"Ah. I didn't think you'd actually go through with it." he chuckled, clutching the pipe between his teeth at the side of his mouth. "I'm actually surprised you're faring this well."

With great difficulty, Lorelei managed to find his voice, though it felt for all the world like someone had taken a knife and was slowly drawing it up his larynx as he spoke. "What's happening to me?"

With a smile, the wizard snapped his fingers to produce a small chair that he casually reclined in despite the annoyed look on Magni's face. Taking a drag on the pipe, he positioned himself in a comfortable position before exhaling and answering, "You chose to engage in a forbidden type of majick. No one eats dragon hearts these days and expects it to end well."

Magni rounded on the wizard, "You're the one that told him to eat it!"

"I merely suggested it," he replied smugly. "Whatever he chose to do with the suggestion is his responsibility."

"He could die!" Magni snarled, eyes narrowed. "What is going to happen to him now?"

The wizard shrugged. "Given how much he's consumed, I'm already impressed he hasn't gone mad. Ferreus was incredibly powerful and, though this young dragon seems to have a great deal of power himself, he's not quite ready to handle such a burden. I was curious to see if he could withstand the usual effects of consuming something so powerful without succumbing to insanity. So far, he's performing splendidly."

Lorelei lacked the energy to show his anger and, truthfully, barely had the energy to feel the emotion at all. He gestured to the heart and struggled to speak again, "If I continue?"

The old wizard shrugged, lips pursed in thought as he puffed away on his pipe. "There's still potential you could lose your mind. You seem to be handling it rather well, however, so why stop now?" Though Magni didn't catch it, Lorelei noticed the small smile that twitched in the corners of the wizard's mouth. It took a moment for Lorelei to realize the wizard's next words were not spoken aloud, but instead within his own mind: _No need to worry. Should you lose control, I am perfectly prepared to slay you. Your people will be safe._

The wizard rose from his seat and snapped his fingers, causing the chair to vanish from sight. "If your bodyguard has not already informed you, I'm staying at the inn in town. Once you're capable of conversation, you're welcome to meet me there. Though I do expect I'll be visiting you again before then." He turned to stare at Magni, though gestured at Lorelei with his pipe as he spoke. "If he starts attacking anyone, come find me. I know how to deal with it."

Lorelei felt a tearing sensation in his throat as he called after the wizard, "Name?"

The wizard did not reply while still within earshot, though Lorelei was sure he had heard him. After a few moments, he heard the wizard again in his mind: _You'll have earned the right to know once you make it through this._

*~*~*~*

The third night was worse for Lorelei.

Almost as soon as he swallowed his portion of the heart for the evening, his human hand and dragon claw rose to grasp at his head as he clawed at the scaled flesh and roared. Magni and Gabriel rushed upon him while Florian hung back in terror. Magni managed to easily wrench the human hand away from Lorelei's head, but Gabriel struggled for several moments with the dragon's claw before managing to pull it away as well. They held his arms away from his face while the dragon writhed between them spewing a mixture of snow and sea water across the cave walls. In their struggle a pile of jewels and gold scattered across the ground at their feet and they planted their feet firmly to fight against Lorelei's struggling so that they would not step on the items and lose their footing.

"FLORIAN! Speak to him!" Gabriel screamed, trying to hold the talons away from his face during Lorelei's panic.

As Florian finally began to take a few steps forward, the gold eyes locked with his and he stopped in his tracks. This time Magni screamed at him and, cautiously, he moved forward again. "Lorelei!" he called, but his voice could scarcely be heard over the howls escaping the dragon's mouth.

Jets of sea water spewed forth from Lorelei's mouth, but seemed to almost freeze in midair. The wall was adorned with icicles and the floor was slippery with ocean spray. Florian made his way around the two men and stood in front of Lorelei and prayed that he would not find a faceful of icy shards.

"LORELEI." he bellowed into the dragon's face.

The gold eyes locked onto his face and a sneer that didn't suit the silver dragon spread across his gaping maw. Florian felt immense dread as he forced himself to stand his ground underneath the unfamiliar gaze. The mouth began to move, to speak, but in a language Florian barely knew and in a voice that crashed like ocean waves. Choosing to ignore the words, Florian instead screamed over them. "Remember my mother, Lorelei? Remember helping her at the inn? Do you remember her wedding? She was so thankful to have you there. She talked so often how the wedding would never have happened without you. She was honored to have you as part of our family."

Lorelei closed his eyes, shaking his head wildly and emitting a long shriek that sounded more human than dragon. As he shook his head, it began to shrink and reshape into the old face Florian recognized. The claw that Gabriel held slowly reshaped into a human hand and he gingerly released it as it did. Across from him, Magni had already withdrawn from Lorelei's immediate personal space without gripping onto him any longer.

Florian took small steps towards Lorelei, making sure to focus on the facial expressions of the superficially old man before him. Before Florian had fully reached him, Lorelei's knees buckled and he clutched at his head with both hands. Magni and Gabriel both moved forward in preparation to restrain him again, but Florian lifted his hand to signal them to wait. In the silence they heard Lorelei's sobbing before they saw his body shake.

Deeming it safe by this action alone, Florian moved to him and knelt in front of him, pulling the shaking hands away from his face and speaking to him in soft tones. "Hey, hey, calm down. Everything is fine." As he soothed the weeping dragon, Magni and Gabriel's shoulders relaxed and they waited for Florian to give the go ahead to help Lorelei to bed.

After laying him down, Magni grabbed hold of Florian by the shoulder and dragged him away from the reflecting pool with Gabriel following close behind. Midway through their escape out of the chamber, Florian pulled himself from the older man's grasp and snarled at him, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Pointing behind him at the unconscious form of Lorelei, Magni yelled back, "I don't know what damned guilt trip you're on, but it ends now. Whatever the hell you've done you need to confess to or get over."

A look of shock came over Florian as he involuntarily took a step back.

Gabriel seemed torn between stepping in and being thankful that someone was finally saying something.

With no one intervening, Magni reached for Florian's arm and began dragging him the rest of the way out of the chamber. "One of us will watch over him tonight. Ya need to sleep and ya need to be out of his way."

Before Florian could begin arguing, Gabriel interjected. "Let it go, alright? Mag has made up his mind and, to be honest, I don't disagree. Ya been hoverin' over him like a guilty kid and if he were in a better state of mind, he'd notice it, too." With an apologetic frown, he inclined his head as the three of them stopped at the chamber entrance. "I don't know what ya done to make ya feel so guilty, but like Mag said... ya need to address that with him and move on. Doting on him all day and night is killin' ya and we need to get back to the people. We can't be watchin' the children all day, eh?"

Without another word, Gabriel left the others and returned to Lorelei to watch him for a few hours before Magni could take over. Still standing in the cave mouth, however, Magni's hardened eyes bore holes into Florian who looked like he wanted to fight but knew he could never pull it off.

"Were ya at the docks that night?" he growled.

Florian's eyes widened as he shook his head. "Of course not!"

Magni took a step closer to him, gripping the front of Florian's shirt and tugging him closer. "I don't think ya heard me. When I ask a question, I don't tolerate lies."

Florian continued to shake his head, "I didn't go to the docks! Lorelei asked me to stay inland."

"Aye, but he also asked Sascha to stay inland and guess where we found him." Magni's grip on the shirt Florian wore tightened. "Sascha seemed a good lad and I regret not knowin' him better, but I reckon if anyone would have obeyed Mister Lorelei, it would've been him." He brought his face to Florian's so that their noses touched. "So now I ask ya again. Were ya at the docks?"

Florian pushed himself away from Magni's chest with all his strength and the front of his short tore away in the man's hand. Though he opened his mouth to speak, no words came out.

The look of disgust on Magni's face was so intense that Florian found himself looking down at the ground in shame. "Yanno what I see, Florian? I see an old man with nuthin' to show for his miserable life. Ya lost your family and turned to a bottle and would've stayed there if someone hadn't pulled ya back out again. I see a selfish old fool who wanted to be with his family but was too scared or too lazy to fight for 'em."

Though he no longer held Florian hostage, the man was not running from Magni's accusations and instead seemed frozen with every word Magni slung at him.

"Wanna know what else I see? I see a man who was ready to die and thought that maybe gettin' on a boat with a destination to a watery grave was an easy way out." Florian jumped as Magni spit in his face. "Ya damn coward! Couldn't have been a man and done it yourself, no, ya had to take an innocent lad down with ya. Don't even have the balls to fess up to a man ya thought of like a father most of your life. Ya disgust me, ya vile piece of trash."

Though Florian hadn't wiped the spit from his face, it wasn't saliva he felt on his cheeks but tears. Embarrassed, he stepped away from Magni and made his way out onto the beach. Behind him, Magni followed shouting. Florian's feet carried him quickly across the sands away from the man who, for all he knew, had full intentions of killing him. He reached the doors of the Bed and Breakfast and fumbled multiple times with the keys in his shaking hands. He felt sick with guilt as he struggled to unlock the doors and stumble in, hurriedly locking them again behind him.

Once inside, he paced the floor for hours. His mind was in multiple places at once and none of them brought him comfort. As his eyes darted around the room he could recall so many moments between him, Lorelei, and Sascha. Even just a few days ago they had sat at the booth before him now playing cards and drinking tea. He had never meant to be the reason Sascha died and, truly, there was no other option. Not a single ship had survived during the battle and no survivors were brought ashore. It wasn't until he felt the throbbing pain in his fingers that Florian realized he had been wringing them so aggressively that he'd nearly bent them fully backwards.

Florian found his feet carrying him to the stock room beyond the crates of rationed food supplies and to the myriad of liquor bottles in the back. His quivering hands shook the bottle as he cast his eyes about for a means to open it. To hell with Magni and his accusations. After several swigs, Florian was already forgetting the old man's words. Come morning none of it would matter anyway and they'd all pretend to be merry little followers in Lorelei's ragtag army against whatever evil thing might crop up next.


	11. Part Eleven

With a painful nudging in his side, Florian stirred on the floor of the storeroom and groaned as he pulled himself up with the aid of a nearby storage crate. Towering over him was the old wizard with an unlit pipe in his mouth, shaking his head at Florian in his current state. "I expected the dragon to have better bodyguards than this." His foot left Florian's side and instead kicked at the empty bottle next to him and shook his head. "Quite a shame. He'll need all the help he can get in his current state."

"How did you get in here?" Florian grumbled, rubbing his eyes with both hands.

"I've been staying here for several days. How did you get here?" The wizard leaned back against a nearby shelf and regarded the man below him.

"I work here," Florian groaned. With a great effort, he managed to haul himself onto his feet and stood in one spot to gain his bearings. Despite the drink, every word Magni had spoken to him in the night hit harder with the morning light. Pushing past the wizard, he grumbled to him, "You shouldn't be in the storeroom."

Withdrawing the pipe from his mouth, the wizard followed after him and sat beside him once Florian had taken a seat at the bar. "And you should probably drink for better reasons." he smiled at Florian, but certainly not to lift the old man's spirits.

"He's already eaten a good chunk of the heart," Florian told him, running his fingers through his hair in the hopes of tidying it from a night spent on the hard floor. "There's nothing you could hope to use it for now."

The wizard raised a single eyebrow. "I saw that for myself already. Seems like someone doesn't trust you enough to share basic information." With a snap of his fingers, a small flame appeared at the tips of his fingers and he busied himself with his pipe. With a contented sigh, he placed the pipe stem in his teeth at the familiar corner of his mouth and regarded Florian with an amused expression. "So, what have you done to lose their trust?"

For a moment, Florian felt the urge to explode over the accusation, but before he had even begun the fight drained out of him. Rather than admit to anything, he shrugged his shoulders helplessly and let his head rest against the cool wood of the bar. "I don't know." he sighed.

There was silence up until the wizard blew out a puff of smoke over Florian's head, afterwards withdrawing the pipe long enough to point it at Florian and state, "Drivel."

Florian glanced up in time to see the pipe returned to the wizard's mouth. "I beg your pardon?"

"Don't talk such drivel." He rose from his seat at the bar, walking around it and gathering a few small food items for himself. "A man who finds himself hungover on a floor come morning knows exactly what he's done to lose favor with the rest of the world. All you have taught me is simply that you're too ashamed to face your own mistakes and take the blame you deserve for them."

He stared at the wizard and felt the anger bubbling up again, but instead said, "Hey, you can't be taking that food. We've rationed it out for the people."

The wizard ignored him, taking a large bite of bread and leaning across the bar to stare directly into Florian's eyes as he chewed. After swallowing, he smiled. "You had the perfect opportunity to hit me and didn't take it. You know I'm right." Standing straight again, he fiddled with his beard and muttered, "If I cared enough, I could easily read your thoughts and see exactly what it is you've done. However, you are a simple man with no real use to me, so whatever information you've chosen to hide from the dragon means nothing to me for now."

"I never said I was hiding anything from Lorelei."

"Oh, you're hiding it from everyone." he swatted Florian's pathetic excuse away. "Lorelei is simply the one who matters. Am I wrong?"

Florian said nothing.

"Your silence speaks volumes." He began to stride towards the door and exit the dining area, but Florian turned in his seat to call him back. Though he stopped at the doorway, he continued to open the door out into the street.

"What do I even call you?"

The wizard smirked, "I doubt someone like you would know me, but I am Mordenkainen. I'd prefer you keep that bit of information under your hat around the dragon, however."

Florian's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"

"He has to earn it." Mordenkainen strode out the door and Florian scrambled to follow after him. The wizard did not pause as Florian shielded his eyes from the harsh sunlight and a splitting headache settled in under the shade of his hand. The wizard seemed to be heading for the cave and so he followed after without any idea what he would do once he was there.

As expected, both men were halted at the cave entrance and Florian let out a small sigh of relief to see that it was only Gabriel guarding at the moment. Gabriel's eyes swept over Florian and instead focused on Mordenkainen. "He's resting, wizard. No reason to trouble him now, eh?"

"I actually came to make use of your library. I find it a shame that the village itself does not seem to have one." Mordenkainen gazed calmly into Gabriel's eyes and the look on his face said clearly that he expected to be able to pass.

After a moment of hesitation, Gabriel sighed and stepped aside for the wizard. "Go on. If I catch ya anywhere other than the library, I'll toss ya out myself."

Hesitantly, Florian made to follow behind the wizard like a child shielded behind their parent. His feet had not even managed to touch the stone before Gabriel pushed him back towards the shore. "Go somewhere else today. Magni wants ya as far from Lorelei as possible at least until tomorrow."

"Who will help tonight when he eats? Neither of you know him the way I do. What if he snaps?" Gabriel paused, considering, and glanced back towards the wizard who had halted behind him.

"Should you need me, I will be in the library." Mordenkainen inclined his head to Gabriel. "I won't interfere otherwise."

Gabriel nodded in appreciation and turned to deal with Florian. "Ya heard him. Time for ya to head off." In a lower voice he added, "Look. I don't want to see Magni tear ya apart. He's been on a warpath all mornin' 'cuz of ya. Just come back tonight, alright?" His eyes scanned over Florian's face and he frowned, inhaling deep and catching the scent of alcohol on the man. "And clean yourself up... Ya need to be sober to be of any use to Lorelei now. Otherwise, don't come back at all."

Florian didn't move right away and in his hesitation Mordenkainen returned to Gabriel, tapping him on the shoulder and pulling him close to whisper in his ear. Gabriel's face fell and he opened his mouth as if to argue but paused. With a sigh, he stepped aside and motioned for Florian to enter the cave. "You're to stay with the wizard at all times, do ya hear? Don't wander off 'cuz if Magni finds ya, I'll not be helpin' ya out."

With a hurried "thank you", Florian followed swiftly behind the wizard and into the comforting dark of the cave. Once they were out of earshot, Florian extended his gratitude to the wizard who merely chuckled in response. "I did it more for myself than for you. Should I have questions about the dragon, I presume you will have the majority of the answers that I seek."

Unsure how to feel about this admission, Florian quieted. Once they reached the library he watched as Mordenkainen shook his head in dismay. "No one believes in knowledge anymore, it seems. This is such a small collection and I'm sure most of it is useless." His nose wrinkled in disgust at the cook books and collection of children's stories. "What was your name again?" he asked, turning to the confused human behind him.

"Florian." he answered, slowly settling down in one of the plush armchairs.

"No, no, don't sit down. I need your assistance." Mordenkainen turned slowly on the spot while surveying the shelves around him. "Gather whatever books you can find about dragons or that mention them even briefly."

Florian begrudgingly rose from his comfortable seat and stood facing the elven books. "I don't speak Dwarvish, so I can't help you there."

"Of course you don't." Mordenkainen sighed. "It's a miracle the dwarves even have a language. Drunken fools. Incredible with weaponry, but slow with much anything else. However, at least they are loyal. I imagine you'd fit right in with them."

Uncertain if the wizard's words were a compliment or an insult, Florian decided to instead busy himself with combing through the books on the shelf before him. First by title and then by the more time consuming page skimming. Somewhere in a corner of the library, Mordenkainen was stacking books beside an armchair that caught his interest in the Dwarven section. After a few minutes, Florian remembered the tiny section of books in Draconic that he and Lorelei had discovered and made mention of it to Mordenkainen.

"You fool, you couldn't have remembered that sooner?" Grumpily, Mordenkainen stopped in mid-task and immediately made his way over to the handful of books Sören had left behind. "It's a pity that there aren't more texts like these. They've been well-cared for despite being in existence for over a millennia." He gathered them into his arms, cradling them close to his chest. The wizard returned to his seat with the teetering piles of books surrounding it and sat down to read. Rather than interrupt his reading, Florian quietly stacked the extra books he collected at Mordenkainen's side and then resumed his search.

Once Florian had managed to gather everything of import to the wizard, his eyes scanned across the wide gaps in the shelves and, with nothing else to do, began reorganizing the library. Despite their languages, he mingled cookbooks together. Though he couldn't speak Dwarvish, opening a book and seeing drawn out images of stews was a clear enough indicator of what the words were about. Once he was finished with that, he collected the books written for children and set them on the lower shelves near the door. He expected Mordenkainen to chastise him for straying off-task, but the wizard did not so much as peer over his tome at him. Deeply invested in one of Sören's books, he seemed blind to the world and lost in the knowledge at his fingertips.

Hours passed. Mordenkainen had read partway through the Draconic books but had yet to touch anything else. Though unable to see outside, by the shifting of the light from the cracks in the walls, Florian guessed it must be nearly late afternoon. Lorelei was likely awake by now and he hoped that the night had treated him well in spite of his weakened state. With the last of the organization complete, Florian sank into the soft cushions at the back of the chamber and had just begun to close his eyes when Mordenkainen called to him.

"Did you ever meet the dragon's brother?"

Florian sat up straighter, fighting the urge to sleep. "No, I never met Sören. I met his sister Eira once. She fancied the elves."

Even from this distance, Florian could hear the derisive snort in response to his comment. "I can imagine her as beautiful and pompous. How boring."

With a small smile, Florian had spoken before realizing the thought had left his lips rather than staying inside his head. "You're fairly pompous yourself."

"Oh, yes, but I have more than earned it." His words ended with the audible turn of a page and the two men eased back into silence.

A few minutes later, Gabriel arrived with familiar plates of bread and cheese. From his reclined position in the back of the library, Florian heard the wizard decline the meal and state he had eaten more than his fair share that morning. Shortly after, Gabriel turned the corner around the nearest bookshelf and passed a plate to Florian instead. "Thank ya for behavin', Florian. Magni seems calmer now, but I think ya should probably stay here outta sight."

As Gabriel left, Florian noticed that the already small wedge of cheese was much smaller today. They must be running out. He'd have to double-check the stockroom and see how much remained. While Florian began munching on his slice of bread, Mordenkainen appeared between the shelves with a book held under his nose. After a few moments of silent reading, he slowly shut the pages and shook his head before regarding Florian curiously.

"How would you describe the dragon Lorelei?"

The question he posed left Florian a little surprised, but he answered honestly. "Selfless to a fault. Tries his hardest no matter the consequences to himself. Incredibly loyal and hopelessly romantic." Florian frowned, eyes scanning the floor. "Lorelei is the strongest person I've ever met and I don't think being a dragon is the only reason for it. His heart is his strength, even while anyone else would likely call it his weakness. My entire life I have seen his compassion carry him through even the most trying of circumstances."

Mordenkainen patiently waited to see if Florian would say anything else. When the man remained silent, he asked, "And would you say any part of him craves power?"

Florian was surprised at just how offended he felt at an accusation that wasn't directed towards himself. "Not at all. I think if anything he dislikes the idea of it. He'd much prefer a quiet, uninterrupted life just living among the people in our village." Rubbing the back of his neck, he shook his head and thought over the events of his life. "Ferreus was the worst thing that's ever happened in Tibaź. Even with everything against him and his own clan working to put him off where his heart led him, he still fought for us. There was nothing to gain from it except the happiness and safety of the nearby people. Not just humans, but the dwarves and elves as well."

"His clan was against him, you say?" Mordenkainen's hands fumbled with his pockets until he located his pipe. "I didn't see any dragons on my way into Tibaź. What happened to the silver dragon clan?"

"He had a fight with them over ten years ago." Florian remembered the night of Lorelei's return from the mountains with a heavy heart. "They had been lying about information regarding the sea dragon and cautioning him that it wasn't their place to interfere with matters not concerning them. He was gone for a week battling with his elder."

Mordenkainen's eyes widened with interest as he lit his pipe. "And he won the fight?"

Florian shook his head, "He claims he technically lost, but the others respected the fact he had refused to back down. One thing led to another and I suppose he ordered them to just get out if they didn't plan to help. The night he came back, his entire family left Tibaź. To my knowledge, he's the only one of his kind still here."

The wizard focused on a point past Florian's head, tapping the mouthpiece of his pipe absentmindedly against his bottom lip. "Fascinating. With nothing to gain but peace of mind..." For a moment, the wizard's eyes glazed over as he lost himself in thought. By the time he'd returned to the moment, Florian had nearly dozed off again. "And how old is Lorelei?"

"Two hundred? I think." Florian wasn't actually sure, but the number sounded correct.

This time the expression Mordenkainen had was of shock. "Two-hundred-years-old?" He shook his head as if to clear it of such an absurd thought. "He's far stronger than he looks. I expected much older. The fact he hasn't succumbed to madness is all the more remarkable." Mordenkainen reopened the book in his hand and held it open as his eyes roved over the pages. "From what I'm able to find here, my information still holds true. Dragons haven't consumed hearts in a very long time. It is an act that long since fell out of practice not long after the dawn of their birth."

"Why not? I'd imagine being powerful would be high on the to-do list for most dragons."

Mordenkainen nodded, biting down on his pipe in order to free up his other hand to flip the pages of the book he held. "Yes, for most it is, though I do imagine most dragons also prefer to live in order to use that power. There were only ever five dragons to consume hearts and not lose their minds afterwards. Out of those five, two of them attempted to consume a second heart and practically tore themselves apart when they couldn't handle the thoughts of another strong being inside of them." His fingers moved several pages backwards, searching for something he had read earlier. "I already knew about the first five dragons, but I wasn't aware that any had made the attempt to eat more than one heart."

Florian, suddenly much more awake than he had been previously, sat up straighter in spite of the plush cushions trying to suck him back in. "What exactly happens when a dragon eats a heart? You didn't warn us about any of this."

"To be fair," his fingers stopped turning pages, instead moving down the page searching for something in particular, "I didn't fully expect your friend to go through with it, but I'm quite pleased that he did. It's become an unspoken subject within the dragon community. Everyone seems to have just quietly agreed that no one should dare consume the heart of another lest they suffer insanity and an incredibly painful death. From what I learned prior to coming to Tibaź, the dragon who chooses to eat the heart of another more powerful than himself begins to mesh thoughts with the creature he consumed. It might happen gradually or all at once. After a time, he might be able to bend some minor powers to his will with ease or he might make an attempt at something which seems simple and instead injure himself severely."

On his feet, Florian glared at the wizard before him. "You essentially tried to murder someone you didn't know just to see what would happen."

Mordenkainen paused, looking over the book at Florian. "Well, I did wonder what might occur, but murder seems a strong word for what I consider to be more along the lines of research." With a sigh, he let the book close with one finger inside to mark his place. "I'm not going to argue with you, so I suggest you unclench your teeth and calm yourself. What's done is done and all we can do is press forward from here. If you wish to help Lorelei make it out of this in one piece, you need to pull yourself out of a bottle and into the moment. Whatever pathetic sob story you're consumed with can wait until this is over. For now there is a very real possibility that your friend could die or lose himself entirely and instead slaughter everyone he's tried to protect." He waited to see the hands Florian had balled into fists relax once more and continued. "I'm aware Magni does not seem to want your presence with the dragon at his meal tonight, and perhaps for one night we can make do. Tomorrow, however, I wish to be present with you. Can you promise me that I may join you?"

"I don't know that I want you there." Florian's voice was hard despite his more relaxed exterior.

There was a brief moment where it seemed the wizard might roll his eyes. "If I truly intended your dragon friend harm, I could have bestowed it upon him already. He is incredibly weak after his ordeal with Ferreus. Among the four of us, I am the only one to have a shred of information about what is going on. I would like to be present in order to help keep the situation calm and to assist should Lorelei lose himself along the way." The hand still holding the book fell to his side. "I don't ask that you trust me. I ask that you care enough for your friend that you would want to have someone strong enough there that could have a shred of hope to save him from himself or, in a worst-case scenario, someone strong enough to stop him before he takes the lives he saved in the first place."

When Florian still seemed on edge, Mordenkainen continued.

"Dragons who have eaten hearts successfully gain the powers of the dragon they've slain. They also gain their memories, their thoughts, and a great portion of their feelings. Even the ones who successfully survived the consumption process were not ever truly themselves afterwards. Yet, in all these scenarios, the successful dragons were at least Ancients. Your friend is barely an adult and therefore much more prone to failure, yet he's already surpassed expectations given what occurred in the past for his kind. To my knowledge, none of the successful dragons were silvers. Sadly, I can't seem to find that information in this particular book, but perhaps Lorelei's brother has it in one of his others." His eyes glanced over his shoulder at the remaining Draconic tomes in the distance. Pulling himself from his thoughts, he addressed Florian while staring into his eyes, "I need you to understand how dire this is for your friend and that your want to be stubborn is selfish. Personally, I don't care if he lives or dies, but I do care about the information I could gather from the experience. You, however, should care enough to cooperate with me. Even if successful, he will always have the sea dragon looming in his mind in some manner. He will never truly be himself again for as long as he lives, but at least he will live."

A long-suffering battle seemed to rage within Florian as he wrestled with Mordenkainen's words. Nothing the old wizard said left him feeling that he could trust him as a person, and yet he was left with no other choice if he wanted Lorelei to survive this ordeal. He could only hope that, once everything was said and done, Mordenkainen would leave Tibaź and not come back to cause more trouble. With little else for options, Florian buckled under his lack of understanding and nodded helplessly. "Just...keep him safe. Lorelei is the only person to ever have my back, even when I don't deserve it. I can't even do anything, but if this is the one way I can repay all he's done for me over the years, then you have my support. You can join me tomorrow night."

Rather than continue the conversation or even impart a basic "thank you", Mordenkainen nodded and reopened his book as he walked back to his chair by the towers of books. As he nearly stumbled into a pile, he waved the hand holding his pipe across the floor. "Florian, clean up this mess, won't you? I'm trying to focus."

*~*~*~*

When dinner time came around, Florian anxiously paced between the library shelves with his arms crossed tightly across his chest. He considered it a small blessing that, whatever might be happening in Lorelei's chamber, none of the sound passed this far down into the cave. At least the children would be undisturbed by Lorelei's strange transformation. At the front of the room, Mordenkainen calmly sat reading through the remainder of Sören's books while occasionally releasing small puffs of smoke. Florian found himself envious of the wizard's ability to be so calm and detached.

Interrupting the quiet, Mordenkainen spoke aloud at last, "Your pacing is distracting."

Florian halted but his foot began to tap incessantly almost at once. "Have you learned anything?"

Mordenkainen nodded without looking away from the newest book he held. "Yes, but not as much as I would have liked. I've learned what two dragons made an attempt at eating a second heart, but not anything of the other three. The dragons seem far more interested in warning about the fools who tried to take this majick too far." Lowering the book, Mordenkainen gently rubbed the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "One was a black dragon whose name I won't even embarrass myself trying to pronounce. It should go without saying he was a power hungry beast and it ended up being his downfall. The other was a Sapphire dragon by the name of Indra who simply wanted to be a stronger military leader."

The foot tapping slowed, but did not cease entirely. Florian hoped Mordenkainen would say more to help distract his thoughts, but the wizard had fallen silent. Hoping it wouldn't ruin the wizard's train of thought, he asked, "So what would happen if a dragon tried to eat the heart of one who had already consumed a heart in the past? If their thoughts and powers had fully meshed together, would it be easier for whoever ate their heart?"

Mordenkainen's eyes lit up at the thought, "You should perhaps not give me such ideas. It would be an interesting experiment." After a few more pages, Mordenkainen sighed and pulled a different book into his lap. "Indra won a fight against two separate red dragons, but I can't locate any explanation on their feuds. The black dragon found distaste with a neighboring skull dragon and, rather than gain any new abilities, simply enhanced the ones he already had. Afterwards he cockily engaged in battle with a gold dragon more for sport than anything else. He barely survived the fight and the damned fool tried to eat the gold's heart immediately thinking it would help mend his wounds faster." After flipping a few more pages, his hand reached for another of Sören's books only to find he had already combed through them all. "Damn. I learned much more than I thought I might, and yet there are holes remaining."

He slowly began shutting the books and passing them to Florian to put away. "Ah well. Perhaps another time." When Florian returned to the wizard it was to find him reclined in his chair with his eyes closed. If it weren't for the intermittent clouds of smoke, he would have assumed Mordenkainen to be fast asleep. Before he could stop himself, Florian found himself pacing again but wasn't reprimanded by the relaxing wizard this time. By the time Gabriel rejoined them in the library, there was no longer any light shining through the cracks above the library.

Gabriel looked exhausted. Drenched in what first seemed like sweat until Florian noticed his clothes were dripping, the old man shook his head, "He got a little more violent tonight. Spewin' sea water across the entire cave, knockin' things over, screamin' and clawin' at his own head even while we tried to restrain him." Gabriel sighed, pushing damp hair out of his eyes. "It would have been easier with ya there, Florian, I have no doubt. Magni's watchin' over him tonight but I expect you're welcome to check in on Lorelei come lunchtime tomorrow, aye?"

Mordenkainen opened his eyes, looking Gabriel's soaking form up and down. "Only sea water? No ice majick?"

Gabriel shook his head. "Only water tonight."

The pipe stem tapped several times against the wizard's bottom lip as he considered this information with a darkened expression. "I see."

After Gabriel collected Florian's empty plate, he bid them goodnight and went to retire until needing to swap places with Magni later on. As he left, Mordenkainen rose from his chair and motioned for Florian to follow. "I believe this library has given us all the information she can for now. Perhaps I can visit the elves and see what books they have in their possession."

Florian followed after him, correcting the wizard as they made their way down the darkened stone corridor. "You won't get anything out of the elves here. They keep to themselves and certainly don't trust humans." With a glance over at the old wizard, he caught a glimpse of a smile.

"Oh, there are ways around such things. If they have things that might interest me, I have no doubt I can acquire them."

They made their way across the beach and back into the heart of the village. In the distance Florian noticed that Shipwreck Mountain had become more of a hill within the past few days. Without Ferreus around to add on to the pile, the men were finally making a dent with their work. Soon the grotesque sight would be gone and any bodies lodged in the wreckage all buried. It was comforting, but only slightly.

Florian shut and locked the door behind them as they entered the Bed and Breakfast and was surprised that when he turned it was to be face-to-face with Mordenkainen. The wizard pointed his pipe stem at him as he ordered Florian, "No drinking. I'll need you clear-headed tomorrow. Once this is over you're free to drown yourself in booze until you die or become a fish, I don't really care. For now you're the only thing the dragon has to link him to his rational self." When Florian didn't respond, he returned the pipe to his mouth. "Though Gabriel doesn't understand, it's quite worrisome that he only attacked tonight with the powers of the sea dragon. He's losing his grip. Magni sending you away was the worst thing for the silver dragon."

The other man slowly slumped against the door behind him, choking back his worries as he met eyes with Mordenkainen. "I'll follow your lead. Come lunchtime tomorrow he should be awake and I should be able to interact with him then. Make sure he's alright."

Mordenkainen nodded, looking only mildly concerned. "See to it you do. I'm off to bed for the night. I'll meet with you in the morning."

Florian watched him disappear around the corner before pushing away from the door and following suit. Though he could easily have enjoyed a glass or more of any sort of drink, the weight of looming danger pulled him down into exhaustion. When he collapsed in bed it was with thoughts swirling of Lorelei and the crippling guilt of deceiving his friend. He knew he would one day tell Lorelei what he'd done, but for now he simply needed to ensure he survived this ordeal.

*~*~*~*

The morning sky was gray through Florian's window when the wizard walked in unannounced. He heard his words through a haze and only nodded against the pillows in response without really being sure what he was agreeing to. He got dressed in silence, mind clear of the fogginess from alcohol but feeling clouded in a different way. When he joined Mordenkainen in the streets, a gentle rain had begun to settle in on the village and followed them out onto the muddying streets. Florian's feet followed dutifully behind the robed man ahead of him who seemed to be carrying a staff today that he had not seen before and, tucked under one arm, a well-loved book with a spine that seemed like it would let loose its pages if not held carefully. He recognized the path they took towards the forest and his heart seemed torn between ripping from his chest and jumping at elation. Though the fishing village would always be his home, he had an intense love for the wood as well.

Their footsteps squelched through the uneven dirt path up until they reached tree cover. The canopy acted as a strong blanket barring the rainfall from entry. Though they could hear the pitter patter all around them, their path ahead seemed perfectly dry. Florian's eyes took in the sight of the paper lanterns hung among the tree branches, bobbing gently up and down in the breeze that followed them inside the forbidden territory. He could hear the gentle music of wind chimes all around them and was reminded of nights alone in bed with Cerise listening to them through the glassless windows of their bedroom. It wasn't until he nearly ran into Mordenkainen that he realized the wizard had stopped walking and had been speaking to him for several minutes.

"Have you even been listening to me?" his voice was gruff, eyes narrowed beneath bushy eyebrows.

Florian slowly shook his head, casting his eyes around the trees. "Sorry. I don't think I belong here anymore." He willed his feet to turn around and lead him back out the way he'd come, but they remained rooted in place while his eyes searched past Mordenkainen and into the clearing up ahead. His eyes locked on the home he used to share with Cerise while they waited on the birth of their twins. While maybe in need of some small amount of care, the abode looked the same.

Mordenkainen's staff landed on Florian's head firmly. Blinking pain from his eyes, he focused attention on the wizard while feeling more dazed than angry. As his vision settled, Mordenkainen raised his hand and Florian instantly recoiled as though the old hand might strike him.

"No, no. Hold still." His fingers rested gently against Florian's forehead for maybe a full minute before pulling away. When he opened his eyes again he felt the rain on his skin and the chimes had stopped ringing peacefully in his ears. All around him trees were uprooted, the ground torn asunder, and before him stood the wreckage of multiple homes. Unfamiliar to him were several mounds of tilled earth with beautifully carved stones set upon them. For the life of him, Florian could not recall having seen a graveyard in the forest before and at the sight something tugged at the back of his mind that he chose to instead ignore rather than entertain. Scattered at his feet were the remains of the once beautiful lanterns buried in the mud and rainwater and he lifted his foot as if he had stepped upon the fragile wings of a bird rather than an inanimate object.

"If you had been listening, I was warning you about illusion majick." Mordenkainen lowered his staff, staring down at Florian in frustration. "No wonder you were still so cheery to be soaked through. I thought you had been listening as we entered." Now able to see the same things, Mordenkainen gestured to the ruined buildings ahead. "Not as much damage as I'd feared, but if the elves have a library I'd enjoy a moment to poke around inside. Lead the way."

Florian nodded his head, but his feet led him to the fresh graves instead of any surviving structures. His eyes scanned over the handful of names etched into the stones, surrounded by beautiful engravings of flowers and vines, before pausing at the name of his beloved and feeling his breath leave him. He couldn't find his voice to scream or sob, but the nagging voice at the back of his mind rushed to the forefront as he read Cerise's name. He remembered Karina on the shore saying they'd found her ripped in two. What had happened to her? Silently, he knelt into the mud and rested his head against the freezing stone. Empty of any remaining tears, he simply knelt in silence and waited to feel something.

Out of the quiet, he could hear the other man's footsteps as the wizard made his way through the muddy terrain towards him. For once, Mordenkainen fell silent and waited for Florian to make the first move. His mind raced with a myriad of thoughts that were a mix of both memories and things he wished could have been. On his tongue were a million words left unsaid and all he could find on his lips was a quiet "I love you" whispered to unfeeling stone. Before Florian had found the energy to stand, he heard a door slamming open in the distance and someone yelling. Hair plastered against his face, he couldn't see her right away when he looked up.

"Get away from our dead, you filthy grave robbers!"

With an irritated sigh, Mordenkainen turned to face the half-elf who was making her way over to them. As the two of them began arguing, Florian returned his gaze to the tombstone and traced his fingers over Cerise's name before rising to his feet. "Goodbye, my love."

Behind him, Karina's voice was shrill and filled with fire as she tried to scare off Mordenkainen by sheer words alone. Mordenkainen, however, had a rather bemused expression as he glanced between her and Florian. When Karina finally quieted, he gestured to her with the hand that held his book and spoke to Florian, "I know she can't possibly be speaking to me this way. Perhaps she's yelling at you instead, Florian?"

Karina turned to face her father now that he was approaching her and the fire in her eyes blazed all the brighter for it. In Elvish she said, "You are not allowed to be here. Take the old sorcerer and go."

In perfect Elvish, Mordenkainen chimed in, "I am no tawdry sorcerer! Have a little more respect in the presence of an abjurer, child."

Karina's nose wrinkled in disgust as he spoke to her in her native tongue, but she made no comment directly to Mordenkainen. She instead focused on Florian who had gone pale ever since reuniting with his wife for the last time. Quietly, he asked her, "Where are the books Eira left behind?"

"You mean that vile lizard woman?" she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm having them destroyed. No one needs to see what they contain."

Mordenkainen stepped forward, "I'd be happy to take them off your hands instead."

Karina's hand lifted with a familiar looking dagger, "I'll take off your hands instead, old man."

A smile moved across his face as he stepped nearer to her. At his advance Karina lunged forward with her weapon, but the next moment Mordenkainen was somehow mysteriously standing perfectly out of harm's way behind her. The hand holding the staff was in front of her, the staff pressed down against her arms holding them motionless. With his free hand, he rested his fingertips against her head as he had done with Florian earlier. After a few seconds he nodded sagely and removed his fingers from her head. "I'll return in a moment, Florian. I'll just be gathering the books." Removing his book from under his arm, he held it carefully in the hand that had been against Karina's forehead and trudged back to her house without looking back.

The look of shock on Karina's face kept her standing still while staring after the man without making to move after him. After a few moments of silence, she turned back to her father with a sour expression. "Fine, take the damned things and don't ever come back. You aren't welcome here."

"What did I ever do to wrong you?" the words left him before he could rein them in.

There was the briefest flash of an emotion other than anger in Karina's eyes before it was burned away by her rage once more. "You abandoned us. _All_ of us. When Sebastian and I needed you, you simply weren't here and you let us starve while mother worked herself to the bone trying to keep us fed. She snuck behind people's backs and made deals with the dwarves despite it being forbidden. No one else cared." Her eyes lowered. "You least of all."

There was a moment of silence between them as they shivered under the rainfall. Slowly, Florian asked, "What happened to Cerise?"

For a moment Karina looked like she might start yelling again, but instead she stowed away her knife and crossed her arms protectively across her chest. "We found her chewed up and left to rot outside the forest. Half of her at the edge of the wood and the other near the sea dragon's corpse."

A wave of nausea rolled over Florian, but he managed to hold it at bay by closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. "I'm sorry I wasn't here."

Karina's arms fell to her sides, shrugging helplessly at the apology. "Yeah. I'm sorry you weren't here, too. You seem happy with your choice, though. I'm sure the dragon kept you all fat and happy."

Florian opened his eyes to answer her when he noticed the small crowd that had gathered. Woken by Karina's screams, multiple elves had gathered on the outskirts of the clearing to watch them exchange words. Perhaps they hoped she'd murder him here atop his wife's grave. Would they feel avenged then? Ignoring them, he met Karina's eyes as she looked up at him. "You only heard what the other elves wanted you to hear. We were starving, too. Ferreus sunk our ships, took our people's lives, and scared the fish further and further away from where we normally cast out nets. Every time they managed to make it back was a miracle, but the food was never enough. It never lasted. There was nothing to share."

His daughter didn't reply.

"Most of our homes have been empty for years. I've seen coffins the size of dogs, Karina. Children starving to death and men wondering what more they could have done to prevent it. Friends I used to work with committing suicide in their grief at the loss of a child, a brother, a parent, or close friends. Women mourning themselves into early graves. It's what happened to my mother when your grandfather died." This time the emotion in Karina's eyes lingered before returning to their hardened state. At least now Florian knew that her anger was secondary to her pain.

"Your own children were starving here at home. We needed you."

The laughter that forced its way through Florian's throat was bitter. "Your mother didn't want me here. You were too young to remember the fighting, maybe, but I left so you and Sebastian didn't have to go through that. I hoped by returning home I could help fix the problem and bring back answers."

Karina's smile was twisted, looking up at him through damp tendrils of hair with a pained expression. "You returned home, huh? That's all I needed to hear."

She walked away, passing Mordenkainen as he left her home with a small sack of books slung over one shoulder and resting on his back. The old mage glanced backwards at the young half-elf before motioning for Florian to follow him. Once they were out of earshot of the elves, he spoke to Florian, "I normally would hold my tongue on such matters, but I shouldn't have to tell you that it's a lost cause trying to reason with her. She's made up her mind. Or, rather, pain made it up for her."

Voice hollow, Florian spoke while trudging through the mud down the path that had once seemed so beautiful in its illusionment. "How would you know?"

"I saw it while searching for the whereabouts of the books she'd hidden away. I doubt that it helps, but she doesn't fully hate you. However, she has hundreds of years to learn forgiveness. You only have...what? Twenty?" He paused, glancing Florian up and down. "Yes, perhaps twenty-five years at most in order to hear that forgiveness from her. What a shame."

"You're not helping, Mordenkainen." Florian growled, increasing his pace to put distance between the wizard and himself. Even with his retaliation, the wizard did not speak again and they returned to the Bed and Breakfast in the silence that they had departed with.

They parted long enough to dry themselves off, warm up, and change into clean garments. When Mordenkainen joined Florian in the dining area they shared a small meal in the quiet before making their way back into the rain to journey to the cave together. The light drizzle had become a heavy downpour as they reached the mouth of the cave.

It was Magni who guarded the cave entrance but, rather than lash out at Florian, he chose to ignore him altogether. He motioned the two of them inside out of the storm and spoke in low tones, more-so to Mordenkainen than to Florian. "I tried to find ya at the inn. He's not wakin' up. Keeps screamin' in his sleep, clawin' at the stone, and I dunno what to do with the children other than hide them as far back into the cave as I can."

Mordenkainen grabbed hold of Florian by the shoulder and pushed him between Magni and himself. "You needed this one at his side and denied him that right. Whatever ill falls on the silver now will be on your hands."

Magni's concerned expression settled on Florian and, though there was still a hint of disgust behind the eyes, he nodded once to show he understood Mordenkainen's words. "I did what I thought was best, but I reckon it was a hasty choice. I don't regret what I said, but if you think he can help Mister Lorelei, please go with him. I don't think it's safe for anyone to be alone with him right now."

Leaving Magni to return to Gabriel and the children, the mage and Florian made their way into Lorelei's resting chamber. Mordenkainen's hands were free of his staff and old book and instead he toted the bag he'd retrieved from Karina's home. When they entered the chamber the room smelled briny and the floor was slick underfoot. A chill in the air passed through both men that left them shivering the further in they walked. Lorelei was curled next to the frozen heart of Ferreus, tossing and turning in his sleep, muttering to himself in Draconic.

Mordenkainen set down his bag in the driest location he could find before moving over to Lorelei, gazing down at him and the moisture gathering on his brow. "He's sweating."

Arms wrapped around himself for warmth, Florian drew nearer to the sleeping dragon. "How? It's freezing in here."

"You need to speak to him." Mordenkainen snapped his fingers, causing his comfortable armchair to appear at his side and settled down into it while pulling the bag into his lap. "I'll be searching through Eira's tomes for any information I can find."

Florian hesitated, the knees of his pants dampening in the water on the stone floor. "What do I even say?"

The pipe that had not been present all day was suddenly in the wizard's free hand as he turned the pages of his first book with the other. "I don't imagine that it matters so long as he can hear your voice. Perhaps you should give him a good memory to latch onto."

Before Florian had turned back to Lorelei, the dragon began groaning and reaching for his head to pull his hair out of the topknot he routinely kept it in. Florian reached for his hands, pulling them away from Lorelei's scalp as the human nails began to dig into the tender flesh. "Lorelei? Can you hear me?"

Lorelei began screaming, the sound echoing around the vast chamber, across the dark and damp floor. It was a sound of undeniable pain and anguish and Florian's grip on Lorelei's hands tightened to hold them steady even as they already began to pull against his grip to tear at his face and neck. As the screams died down, Lorelei began whimpering and muttering again to himself in Draconic.

Florian could barely hear what he was speaking, but most of the time it simply sounded as though he repeated the words "kill me" over and over to anyone who might be listening. It took a moment before he realized it was his own hands shaking and not Lorelei's. Slowly, he released the dragon's hands and watched as Lorelei wrapped them around himself and began rocking back and forth in his fetal position. Beside them, Florian almost believed he had seen what was left of Ferreus' heart beat and it made him uneasy being next to it.

"Lorelei, I need you to listen to me." The water beneath him splashed as he moved closer to the dragon, lowering his head to Lorelei's ear. "I need you to remember the day you took me out of town as a kid. I'd been begging for days to see you in your true form and you said the village was too small. I was so annoying and insistent and you were always so patient with me. Finally, you said you'd take me out to show me. I thought you were kidding, but you kept your word and it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. I never told you, but that meant so much to me. It was something I couldn't wait to share with my friends when we got back home, even if they didn't believe me. I never needed them to. I was just thankful that you'd trusted me to see you for who you are."

Though Lorelei was still whimpering, the rocking had slowed substantially. Florian pushed damp hair away from the deceivingly old face and was amazed at how heated he felt to the touch. In all his years with Lorelei, he'd never known the dragon to hold heat like this.

"I imagine Sascha felt the same way when you took him to the river that day." Even saying the boy's name was painful for Florian. He found that he couldn't look at Lorelei as he spoke about him. "When we had time alone together, I could see in his eyes how much joy he had being with you. Even with all hell breaking loose around us, he had this hope that nothing seemed capable of putting out." Florian paused, smiling a little at the memory in spite of the guilt that nagged at him. "He told me he hadn't planned on staying in Tibaź, but he stayed for you. I doubt he told you, but he had only planned to be here for a couple months. Long enough to travel around and fill in the blank spaces of his map, but you charmed him so."

The form on the floor had quieted and gone still as Florian spoke, but his lips still wordlessly mouthed something that Florian couldn't quite make out.

"Do you remember -- "

"Sascha?" The name quivered in Lorelei's aching throat.

Silence fell over them for a moment while Florian slowly looked back at Lorelei. His eyes were still closed, but his mouth hung open slightly. Without waiting for him to speak again, Florian stood to collect a glass of water from the reflecting pool. Behind him he could hear the dragon's strained voice uttering the name again as he filled the cup. Grasping it with both hands to keep the contents from spilling, Florian returned to Lorelei and whispered to him, "I'm Florian. Sascha isn't here."

Before he could speak the name again, he set the cup aside and began tugging Lorelei into a reclined position in his lap so that he could force him to drink. Lorelei fell silent, drinking so fast that he coughed as Florian moved the cup away from his lips. Lorelei's hand reached to bring the cup back to his mouth, but Florian shook his head. "It's empty." The human looked up at the wizard, "Could you fill this? I can't really move."

There was an audible turn of a page. "Neither can I."

Florian glared at the wizard seated comfortably in his armchair. "He's dehydrated."

With a sigh, Mordenkainen released the book he was holding long enough to snap his fingers. The glass in Florian's hand refilled at once and he gruffly thanked the mage before placing it into Lorelei's shaking hand. Outside the rain pounded against the stone, yet even with the many holes in the top of the cave no water seemed to leak through. Everything on the floor smelled of the sea and Florian remembered what Gabriel had told them yesterday. Was this new or was it from dinnertime yesterday?

For several hours, Florian remained seated on the floor with Lorelei sleeping in his lap. When the glass had emptied, he'd fallen back into slumber but remained silent. Florian busied himself with attempting to return Lorelei's hair to its normal state while listening to the occassional page turn and puff of exhaled smoke from Mordenkainen across from him. In the distance, a slow rumbling of thunder began building up and making its way across the sea towards them. In the quiet, Florian nodded off with the dragon resting against him.

*~*~*~*

_Ah, pathetic little wyrmling. The foolishness of your youth shows plainly to me now that I am inside your mind. Rather than heed my warning about entering the sea, you chose to take the sea into yourself. I will tarnish you from the inside out, little wyrm. Your soul will blacken and congeal within your human form. Tell me, are you enjoying my memories? Now that you can see it my way, I have to ask: How much did you enjoy watching them die? Seeing the people you love vanish into the black waves, hearing their harrowing prayers, tasting their blood in your mouth? Doesn't it excite you? After the first taste, it's so hard to hold back. How long are you going to resist me? I tell you now, Lorelei, that everything you've done is only prolonging the inevitable. Everyone you've saved will eventually perish and likely some will even be at your own hand. And I promise you this - when you are at your weakest, I will take over you. I will use your pathetic form to slaughter all who trust in you and let you linger in the light fading from their eyes. I will let you feel the soul leaving their limp forms as you hold them in your teeth. I will bend you, wyrmling, and I will break you._

He wanted the voice to stop. He didn't want any of the sea dragon's promises to become reality. As though fighting a gag, he forced out a plea for death in the hopes that it would take Ferreus out with him. He was unable to open his eyes, but felt himself being lifted and something being said to him. Through the darkness he could make out Florian's voice and he grasped desperately for it.

_This one troubles you, doesn't he? You've cared for his family for a hundred years and how does he repay you? Killing the man you love and then daring to speak his name in your presence? Oh, I can see you're trying not to believe it, but I bet if you searched my floors you'd find his corpse among the wreckage. Why not give in, wyrmling? You sense his presence, don't you? He's right in front of you - near enough to slaughter. He would deserve it, anyone would agree, and then your lover would be avenged. Just one bite, Lorelei. Surrender to the urge._

Lorelei tried his hardest to block out Ferreus' voice and focused on the memories Florian gave him. Florian in his youth, loud and overzealous but with a good heart. Everything was exciting and wonderful to him, but most of all knowing a real dragon. It had been hard for Lorelei to show himself, but the excited look in the young child's eyes had made it more than worth it. He tried to hold onto the wonder Florian had exhibited that day rather than the seed of doubt that had nestled in his mind from Magni and Gabriel's words.

_I see you share the fragility of the humans, but do not fret. We have millennia for me to teach you how to be less delicate. You can feel that power in you even now, can you not? Even from here, I can hear your storm raging across my seas. Breathe life into it - give it the form of your fury. It's easier than you think, I assure you. Commanding the waves will be second nature to you - as natural as breathing. Try it now, wyrmling._

Florian spoke of Sascha. A memory he'd never shared with Lorelei before and the information left him feeling giddy somewhere inside of himself, somewhere deep beneath Ferreus' coils. He struggled against the invisible bonds and tried to reach out to Florian, his lover's name leaving his lips. Even to his ears he could tell that his voice was louder now than it had been when he begged for death. He was managing to free himself, even if only a small portion at a time.

_Don't forget he killed your precious Sascha. Would you protect even a man who had betrayed you so? And now he dares to utter his name to your face? Think about it, wyrmling. The night he disappeared this man could not even bear to look you in the eyes as he told you he had not seen him. The weight he carries is breaking him and he cannot hope to support it forever. Why let the guilt win when you can take him out yourself? Try commanding the storm, Lorelei._

Thunder rumbled as Lorelei fought the urge to give in to his fear, his anger, his sorrow.

_See how easy it is? Just a bit more and you can wash their village off the map. My seas and your storm welcome you. Give in to that power, little wyrm, and you could become great in no time at all._

The whispers drug on for what felt like eons as Lorelei focused on Sascha's name alone, speaking it aloud and in his mind in the hopes of drowning out the crashing waves of Ferreus' voice. He managed to find a place of silence in a corner that Ferreus had seemingly not touched. He curled up inside of it, seeking respite, praying that when he woke he could control himself.

But as the hours passed, he felt himself slipping again. He felt himself being forced onto his feet but felt too weak to stand. Two sets of arms supported him and he heard from far away voices arguing back and forth, but he was too deafened to understand the words. He felt something cool against his palm and knew he was being asked to eat again. Even as he melted the ice, he felt tears on his cheeks knowing it meant losing a bit more of himself. Soon there would be no safe corners left to hide in. Every meal was a step closer to Ferreus taking control or to his own grave. Perhaps both.

He felt his hand shift, the meat tearing away easily in his claws, and hesitated in bringing the portion to his lips. Florian was speaking and, though he couldn't make out the words, he could hear the comfort they were meant to bring. He began eating, but was reluctant to swallow. His body wanted to reject it before he'd even begun ingesting it. Already he could feel his gag reflex trying to force the heart back out the way it had come, but he struggled against it and swallowed.

As before, there was a sudden silence that washed over him.

A gentle hush of waves lapping at a shore.

And then there was the drowning. He was unable to bend his arms to reach for his throat, to tear it open, to find a way to breathe easily. Lorelei felt the salt clogging his airways as he twisted in the grip that held him upright. The hush of waves became a tumultuous crashing against the safe space in his mind he hid himself in now. The voice of Ferreus bellowed loud into his mind, demanding he give in or give up.

_This body belongs to me now! Surrender to my power, Lorelei, or I will crush your heart in my coils!_

Lorelei's mouth opened to scream "no" back at the sea dragon, but instead a loud roar erupted from his throat that left it feeling like cracked, dry earth. His body contorted violently, and he felt one arm free itself from the grasp that had restrained it. With Ferreus screaming inside of him, he felt the arm shifting against his will and heard the screams of several men as they tried to tether him down. He tried to succumb to their restraints, but his own body rebelled against him. Lorelei felt his claw smash into someone and knock them aside. Though his eyes were wide open, he could see nothing but the darkness of the ocean. At first he thought he was vomiting, but then he realized he was spraying ocean water across the cave. His other arm came free and there was a paralyzing fear that gripped him as he felt that freed arm shift from the already formed claw.

A new voice joined the shouting. It took a moment to place, but Lorelei recognized it as the old wizard. It was his fault this was happening to him. He would still be himself if not for him. He felt himself fall onto all fours, head swinging about wildly as it changed to something more natural to him. He launched himself forward in the direction of the old wizard's voice with Ferreus screaming to tear him apart.

And then there was blinding pain as he was sent onto his back. As he hit the stone, his eyes regained their sight just as Magni and Gabriel fell upon him again to try to hold him down, but the wizard barked at them to back away. Magical bonds restrained him, but Lorelei did not fight them. He could feel that Ferreus was buried again, even if only for a little while. For now he was himself and he hoped that he could show it by letting himself shift back into human form. The pain was crippling, leaving his screams tearing at his aching throat, loud sobs escaping him as he writhed on the stone.

Above him, the wizard's face held no hint of age as he loomed over Lorelei. The old features had hardened and the eyes said plainly he was ready to kill Lorelei if necessary. In a way, this gave Lorelei peace and he whispered a thank you that he hoped the wizard actually heard. Unable to hold himself together any longer, his eyes drooped shut and he fell into a dreamless sleep.


	12. Part Twelve

Unsure of the time or the space he occupied, Lorelei woke on a damp floor. He could still feel the bonds holding him in place and did not make attempts to remove them, instead being thankful for their hold and blinking the sleep from his eyes as he tried to survey the room. Dutiful Florian slept nearby, but at a safe distance. Directly ahead of him sat the mage with his nose buried in a book while surrounded in a halo of pipe smoke.

"You're awake then." Gently, the mage closed his book and regarded Lorelei calmly. "And you seem to be yourself." With a snap of his fingers, the bonds fell away and Lorelei was able to extend his arms freely.

"I'm thirsty," Lorelei managed to speak, though raspily.

The wizard pointed to the reflecting pool behind the dragon, maintaining eye contact. "Then stand and drink."

Lorelei's legs refused to obey him so, rather than walk, he crawled across the damp stones towards the reflecting pool and let himself collapse atop the pillows. Here, he rested, staring at the waterfall in desperation.

"I believe I said to _stand_ and drink." The wizard had stood and was positioned behind Lorelei, waiting for him to do as he was told.

"I'm too weak to move." Lorelei shook his head, running his tongue over his lips. As if to prove his point, he tried to push himself up with his arms braced against the pillows, but the body he inhabited now seemed suitable to his current frailty. He fell back upon the cushions and groaned in frustration.

The mage moved closer, standing at his side. "What you are is too comfortable." The old mage's hands began pulling the cushions away from Lorelei until there was nothing left to rest upon. "Now stand and drink."

It took several grueling minutes but Lorelei managed to eventually rise into a kneeling position with his chest heaving from the effort of the expended energy. With every movement he felt more and more like curling against the wet stones and falling into sleep, but the watchful eye of the wizard was upon him. Lorelei hesitantly extended his hand to the mage in a gesture that asked he helped him rise, but the wizard shook his head. He was meant to do this alone. With an ache in his bones he'd never experienced before, he forced himself onto his own two legs. Panting, he collected the nearest goblet and plunged it deep into the water and brought it to his lips to drink. The wizard waited patiently until he had drunk his fill and nodded his head, pleased.

"Now everything else should be easy for you." He motioned for Lorelei to come to him.

With several shaky steps, Lorelei managed to stumble over to the wizard who put out his arm when it seemed Lorelei would fall. With one hand steadying the dragon, he motioned towards the exit. "You need fresh air and a change of scenery. Come."

Lorelei hesitated, remembering the chaos of the night. "What if I lose control out there?"

The mage smiled, "I am with you and I gave you a promise, remember? Your people will be safe."

Slowly, they made their way out of the chamber and towards the cave mouth. The suns had not fully risen in the sky and it tinged the somber heavens with amber. The scent of the sea still left Lorelei feeling empty, but at least this air was not stale like the chamber he had been resting in. The smell of grass and life seemed to reinvigorate his mind, clearing away some of the darkness from the past few days. It seemed an entire century had passed as he battled with Ferreus in his mind, but as he gazed upon the sea it seemed that time had fallen still.

"Your storm has quieted, and with it I assume the sea dragon." The mage's eyes watched Lorelei's face rather than the sunrise.

Lorelei nodded, swallowing his shame at his weakness. "He wanted me to wipe out the village."

The wizard nodded to himself, running one hand over his beard as he lost himself in thought. In the silence, Lorelei's eyes moved across the calm waters and lingered on the fishing village in the distance. Untouched. Still standing. Like himself. With a few shaky steps, he had exited the cave mouth and made his way across the sands to the waves lapping at the shore. There was hesitation as he stopped short of letting them touch his bare feet. Behind him, the mage watched silently.

Though he had no true reason to believe so, he feared giving Ferreus the benefit of connecting to his waters. Would it reawaken the serpent inside of him and would he be able to fight him off if it did? Yet, he remembered the mage's promise and slowly stepped into the soft sea foam. Nothing stirred in his mind and the tension in his shoulders eased. Perhaps he was free? Was last night the worst of it? He clung to the shaky hope that it might be.

"Have you tried to willingly use your new powers?" The voice came from a distance, telling Lorelei that the mage had not left the cave mouth just yet.

"No, just...when I'm fighting against him. When he's getting the upper hand."

The soft whisper of footsteps across the sand reached Lorelei's ears as the mage joined him. At Lorelei's left side, the mage exhaled a small cloud of smoke and spoke softly, "I need you to try."

"All of his powers are destructive. I would be afraid to try." Lorelei lowered his head, feeling the weight of defeat return to his chest.

"His powers were impressive, but they were simply destructive because he wished to use them as such." The wizard tucked the pipe into the corner of his mouth, reaching out and forcing Lorelei's head to look up at the ocean. "You start with something small and you start with understanding that these are no longer his powers. They are yours." He waited for Lorelei to speak, but the dragon had fallen silent. "As I said, I have already promised to protect your people. There is nothing to fear. I hear death is quite pleasant, despite all the clamor the living make about it."

Lorelei felt the wizard's hand withdraw from beneath his chin and focused on the water washing over his feet. Something small, and perhaps something helpful? He remembered speaking with Colette on the day he last had his mind to himself and how hungry all his children were. How hungry the villagers, dwarves, and elves were. If Lorelei could give them anything, it would be the ability to have a full meal again -- more than meager portions of bread and cheese. With the thought in mind he closed his eyes and carefully poked at the sea dragon's memories for anything he could use.

After several minutes, he heard the wizard at his side chuckle. "I suppose that will do, dragon."

There was a strange tickling sensation at his toes submerged in the surf. When Lorelei's eyes opened, he saw several small fish milling about his feet in the water. The laugh that escaped him hurt, but he welcomed the mirth. It was a relief to see something so small and to know he had caused it rather than bringing harm upon anyone. He knelt down and ran a finger slowly over the back of the nearest fish and was surprised to find it did not shy away from his touch.

"I would imagine you could summon much larger things, but we will get to that in time. For now, this is progress." The mage motioned for Lorelei to follow after him as he made his way along the shore.

They walked in silence beyond the cave that once was guarded by dwarven women clad in armor and proceeded into the distance. The amber sky turned a vibrant orange as the suns rose higher above them. Lorelei could only surmise that the wizard had not gained permission to withdraw him from the cave, but was thankful for the reprieve from the dark and dank conditions. The shakiness in Lorelei's legs became less the more he walked and it dawned on him the mage was simply trying to build up his physical strength again. Without words, Lorelei was grateful, though he knew if he spoke aloud of it the wizard would wave them off.

"You are number six." The mage said out of nowhere. There were no follow-up words and Lorelei stared sideways at him in confusion waiting for explanation. When none came, he prodded for further information. "You don't know your own history? You are the sixth dragon to survive consuming another's heart."

"I haven't even finished it yet."

"You are close. You've been eating larger portions than I thought you would. It's good and means we can get this all over with faster." The wizard paused, calculating in his head. "I would imagine three to four more days. In your condition, finishing it off within a week is more than impressive. You had the luxury of consuming it slowly. Had you been a larger dragon without the limitations of the cave, I would imagine you to have either consumed it whole or in two halves. Consider your misery a strange blessing, dragon."

"My name is Lorelei."

A small chuckle responded to his words. "I know your name."

"Yet, I do not know yours."

They stopped walking at the same time, with the mage looking over Lorelei's face for a moment before shrugging. "You've proven yourself enough, I suppose. My name is Mordenkainen and I hail from a place called Greyhawk. Though, judging from your friend's reaction a couple days ago, I presume I'm right in thinking that you don't know who I am or where I've come from."

The dragon paused, lost in thought as he reached for a distant memory. "I've heard your name before, when I was a wyrmling still living with my clan. I don't remember any of the finer details, but I know you're not to be trifled with." A wave of relief washed over him as he considered the small bit of information he had on the wizard. "At least now I can fully put my faith in your ability to stop me should I get out of control."

Mordenkainen's air changed from somber sage to pompous magician in an instant. With a warmer disposition towards Lorelei, he offered his arm to lean against him for support, but the silver refused it. "I'm finally able to hold myself up, but I thank you."

They turned in the sand and followed their footprints back to the shore in front of the cave with an azure sky clear of clouds and the suns shining warm overhead. It was at this moment Lorelei realized he was no longer feverish as he had been within the dark confines of the cave chamber. As the silver looked up to the cave it was to see Florian standing at its entrance, leaning casually against the rough stone and watching silently.

At his side, Mordenkainen spoke, "That man is incredibly loyal to you, but also incredibly foolish. I imagine he has been a confounding balancing act between asset and liability. How well do you trust him?"

From a distance, he sized up Adelaide's son and put aside what doubts he had with no real evidence. With everything else he knew of Florian and all they had experienced over the years, he said quite firmly, "I trust him with my life. Without his words during the past few days, I would have been far more lost within Ferreus' mind."

Mordenkainen's laughter was light, as though he had heard a semi-pleasing joke. "Words mean little, dragon. What do his actions tell you?"

"His actions tell me he feels guilty. Florian has always been there for me, but more distantly so. Yet, when I was without his presence for a single day, I felt myself being dragged into a place I was unable to escape from. Without him there, I had no direction to seek shelter in. Whatever is weighing heavy on him, I hope when this is over he turns to me to help carry that burden."

They settled into silence while Mordenkainen regarded the man who stood watching them. After a few moments, he released a cloud of smoke and asked Lorelei, "And what if the weight of his burden turns out to be a weight you wish you had let crush him?"

Lorelei shook his head slowly, "No one should be abandoned for a mistake. Even with your dying breath, you can make such things right."

"You are surprisingly naïve. I have met many dragons in my lifetime, but none so stubbornly guileless." Mordenkainen began stowing away his pipe and heading towards the cave without Lorelei following. "I would rein that in, if I were you."

As Mordenkainen passed Florian to reenter the cave, Florian came down to join him. Together they stared at the froth of the waves in silence before Lorelei smiled and pointed out the small fish that still lingered at the shore. "I brought them here."

Florian raised a single eyebrow, "How?"

"By using some of Ferreus' majick." Lorelei slowly knelt into the sand, wincing at the slight pain he felt in doing so. He extended his hand into the water, trying once more to summon up that feeling he'd had before. As he watched the shallows, several other fished joined the first and gleefully swam around his fingertips. "I can end the years of starvation of our people. I can send out food to those we have been unable to trade with due to Ferreus' presence. Perhaps we can reestablish ties with those we've lost connection with."

Behind him, he heard Florian sighing and turned in his bent position to see the old man running his hands over his face. Through his fingers came the muffled voice, "Lorelei, you're too weak to do something on such a grand scale." The hands lowered and his voice came clearer as Lorelei turned back to gaze at the fish. "Even if you can bring back the fish, it won't be a salve that cures the wounds left in our relationships with, say, the elves."

Lorelei returned to his standing position, grimacing as he straightened out his spine. "I don't expect it to be over night. None of us should." Brushing sand off the legs of his pants, he noticed Florian looking at him with quiet desperation. He offered a small smile and added, "I refuse to give up so easily. If I am to be burdened with these abilities, then why not use them for good? You have known me your entire life, Florian -- you know I must at least try."

Florian's face softened, but he still seemed unconvinced. "I know, Lorelei... I know. I trust you to do what is best, but you can't blame me for feeling it's in vain."

As Lorelei reached out to touch Florian's shoulder, he heard a laugh like crashing waves in the back of his mind and pulled his hand back quickly instead. Thankfully, Florian's gaze was lowered and he hadn't seemed to notice. Feeling on edge, but still thankfully in control, Lorelei caught the other man's attention and nodded towards the cave. "I suppose we should head back in. I'll tell Magni to gather these fish for the children tonight. It isn't much, but some meat would go a long way for everyone."

Though he didn't need the physical support, Florian walked at his side should Lorelei stumble. Together they reentered the dark of the cave and the weight he had felt so free from moments before slammed back into his shoulders when within the surrounding stone. Still, when Florian faced him, he managed to smile and keep on standing.

*~*~*~*

By the time lunchtime arrived, Lorelei felt dead on his feet. This time when he reached for Florian, the laughter was silent in his mind and the tenseness in his shoulders eased, but only slightly. Florian gently guided Lorelei to the dining hall and sat with him at a table in the center of the room. Not long after they'd settled in, Magni and Gabriel joined them with the children in tow. The room quickly filled with young voices and laughter as they filled the tables surrounding the two men and Lorelei's heart felt lifted. It seemed an eternity had passed without being able to hear such joy. From a table in the corner of the room three small children waved excitedly to Lorelei. With a tired smile, he waved back to Colette, James, and his younger brother.

"I'll be right back, Lorelei." Florian said as he rose from his seat. "I need to help pass out food."

It didn't take long for the first plate to be served and the collective gasps of the children at the first table took the attention of all the others nearby. Several crowded around in disbelief and a collective cheer rose up that Magni and Gabriel struggled to contain.

"Oy, you lot, sit down!" Magni's voice called over the children's screams of delight.

Eventually the noise subsided as everyone ate in silence, savoring what was likely the first taste of meat they'd had in either years or for the first time in their lives depending on age. The portions were still small, but any bit of protein seemed a huge victory in Lorelei's mind. When Florian rejoined him, it was with a plate of food for each of them. At once Lorelei lifted his arms to push the plate away but Florian shook his head, "What's the matter? Gonna spoil your appetite?"

"It's for the -- "

"Look around, Lorelei." Florian gestured at the tables around them. "They've all been fed. You haven't had a decent meal in days. Celebrate with us, eh? You're allowed to enjoy the progress you've made. Relax." With that, he pushed the plate closer to the dragon as Magni and Gabriel seated themselves at the remaining empty chairs.

"Mister Lorelei, I didn't expect ya to be joinin' us." Gabriel smiled at him, raising a glass in his direction. "Cheers!"

Magni was silently staring at Lorelei's face, a question on his lips that he wasn't sure if he should speak. When Lorelei finally locked eyes with him, he scooched backwards in his seat slightly before lowering his eyes down to his plate instead. "Sorry. Didn't mean to be impolite."

"Is something wrong?" Lorelei's hand instinctively touched at his cheeks, but Magni was already shaking his head.

"No, nuthin' wrong. I'm glad you're feelin' better. We were worried about ya."

As Magni turned his head, Lorelei noticed several large scratches across his face and felt instant guilt crawl up his spine. "Did I do that to you?" He briefly recalled having knocked someone backwards during his fight with Ferreus. Not long after, Mordenkainen had blasted him off his feet. Lorelei feared what would have happened without the wizard's presence.

"What?" Magni mimicked Lorelei's touch to his own face. "Oh, that. It weren't nuthin', Mister Lorelei. No harm done." He offered the dragon a smile to show there was no animosity between them, but Lorelei felt his stomach churn. What if he attacked someone again tonight? He felt more empowered after the morning walk with Mordenkainen, but there was truly little progress after just a few hours. Quietly, he began eating his meal and welcomed a taste other than frozen muscle in his mouth.

As they finished their meals, the children filed out of the room under Gabriel's watchful eye. "Mag, I'm takin' them onto the shore for now. Meet me out there when you're done, alright?"

Once the room had emptied, Magni turned to Lorelei and smiled. "You're right horrifying, aye? Never seen ya so pissed before."

Lorelei looked down at his hands folded in his lap. "I am truly sorry, Magni. I wasn't even aware of anything outside my own mind."

The old man laughed, "No need to apologize. I thought it were impressive, to be honest. Glad we had the ol' gaffer with us, though, to be sure."

Florian, though looking slightly uncomfortable in the company of the other human, remained seated and made the attempt of joining in the conversation. "I couldn't tell if you heard anything I was saying to you, but I tried all the same."

The silver shook his head, "No. I heard your voice, but not the words. I am grateful you were there. Having something to focus on helps, though I am sure it may not have seemed like it last night."

"If it makes ya feel any better, ya weren't anywhere near as scary as the wizard." Magni paused, staring at the doorway as though he feared merely mentioning Mordenkainen would summon him to their side. "That were some powerful majick. Before ya managed to sink your teeth into him, he blasted ya across the room. Thought he'd knocked ya unconscious for a moment there." A slight shudder passed through him. "He didn't even flinch. Just stared ya down and waited, like he wanted to make sure ya were close enough before he did anythin'."

Florian nodded in agreement, "He didn't want us touching you to restrain you. I didn't know such an old man could scream so loud." His gaze turned to Magni and he smiled bitterly. "Well, maybe I did."

"Do ya think it's permanent?" Magni said suddenly, glancing sideways at Lorelei.

Confused, Lorelei tilted his head as he tried to puzzle out what Magni meant. "You mean my powers?"

"Naw, the uh. The eyes." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I don't got nuthin' against gold, mind, but it doesn't suit ya, now does it?" Florian glared across the table at Magni but kept his mouth shut.

"Gold?" Lorelei rose from his seat, staring around the room before moving to the first reflective object he could find. Staring back at him from the plate he held were the eyes of the sea dragon with no hint of silver in their depths. One hand rested on his stomach as it churned uncomfortably as the other lost its grip. The plate smashed on the stone floor as Ferreus' laughter echoed in the recesses of his mind. His ears went deaf to all sound in the room and his vision slowly slid out of focus as the panic caused a tightness in his chest.

" _Lorelei_."

It felt like thick coils were cinching around his lungs as he struggled to take in even the smallest of breaths. There were several repetitions before he realized the voice was not speaking his name in Draconic. His eyes sought out the speaker through the darkness before he finally felt himself jolted out of his hysteria by a hard slap across the face. As his vision slowly restored, he was gazing into Mordenkainen's eyes.

"Can I not leave you alone for a few hours? I simply wanted to read in peace." The wizard stepped away, motioning for Florian to hoist Lorelei to his feet.

"Should we skip out on him eatin' tonight?" Magni was following the wizard as he made to leave the room.

"What would be the point? He's in too deep now." He pushed his way past Magni in order to return to the library. "Waiting only makes it worse. Better to get it over with rather than drag it out."

Magni stepped in front of him, the concern in his eyes evident. "What if we waited just the one night, eh?"

Mordenkainen halted, clearly irritated with being interrupted from his studies and from being prevented from leaving the room. "I don't believe you understand the implications of what you're trying to do. As such, perhaps it would be best that you keep your concerns to yourself." He turned on the spot to face Lorelei as he clutched onto Florian for support. "Lorelei. What would you prefer? It is ultimately your choice, after all."

Florian whispered in his ear, "I know you've already made up your mind, but a break couldn't be the worst thing. Your mind is in such a weakened state, your health seems to keep deteriorating, you can barely stand on your own..."

As Lorelei listened to his words, he felt as though he were not being given enough credit. Mere moments ago he had been standing unaided. He had walked along the shore and used majick for the first time in days without pain. As he held Mordenkainen's gaze, the old mage nodded in understanding.

"I am fully capable of completing what I've started." Lorelei slowly released Florian and moved to stand on his own. Though he staggered, he managed to place his feet firmly and stay upright.

"I do believe that is that." Stepping around Magni, Mordenkainen exited the room and turned down the corridor leading to the library.

Looking concerned but not willing to argue, Magni slowly followed him out but headed in the opposite direction. Left alone in the room, Florian stared over at Lorelei until he acknowledged his presence. "I'm with you, Lorelei. I don't know how much worse it can get, but I won't abandon you."

Lorelei made his way over to the table, seeking rest in his chair once more. "I know you won't."

*~*~*~*

The five of them gathered in the resting chamber come nightfall. In the corner, Magni and Gabriel exchanged looks but otherwise remained quiet in the wizard's presence. Florian stood at Lorelei's side while Mordenkainen faced them, considering their options.

"It would be best if we bound you as I did last night." Mordenkainen gazed at the heart for a moment. "I believe you have a better fighting chance than you did previously, but precaution is always preferable to blind optimism."

Lorelei inclined his head. "After I lower my arm, then. I won't fight the bonds, but Ferreus might. Will they hold?"

"Well, we'll soon find out, won't we?" Mordenkainen smirked, running his fingers over the heart's icy encasement. "I still feel somewhat disappointed I was unable to charm this out from under you, but no matter. This has proved to be far more interesting."

Florian opened his mouth to retort, but Lorelei quieted him with a gentle touch on the man's arm. Quarreling would change nothing other than to add undue stress. Lorelei stepped forward beside Mordenkainen and rested his hand against the ice, indicating with a nod that he was ready to begin.

As the ice melted beneath his palm, Gabriel and Magni moved closer in case they were needed for extra restraint. In his head, Lorelei heard the mage speaking to him. _If possible, I suggest you eat more than you typically would. I believe you can handle it, but of course the choice is still yours._

There was a moment when Lorelei considered questioning why, but decided against it and opted to instead trust the mage's questionable judgement. When his claws dug into the muscle they withdrew a substantially more sizable portion. As he had requested, the moment Lorelei's arm lowered he felt the bonds wrap around him and strap his arms tightly to his sides. Though he sensed the slithering in his mind, he managed to maintain his vision.

_Wyrmling._

His hearing seemed to deaden ever so slightly. Lorelei strained to focus on any constant sound in the nearby area and settled on the waterfall behind him. The gentle splashing sound was soothing and seemed to help keep him tethered to the moment.

_You can't ignore me forever, little wyrm._

Without realizing it, he began struggling against his bonds ever so slightly. He was aware of movement from Magni and Gabriel, but Mordenkainen halted them for the moment and continued watching. Even as he was aware of their presence, he began losing his sight to view them.

_You missed your chance, you know. That mage should have been buried by now. How are we meant to work together when you resist me at every turn?_

Florian's voice interrupted his concentration on the flowing water causing him to slip more into himself than he would have liked. The restraints suddenly felt like coils cinching snugly around him and he recalled the day along the shore confronting Ferreus -- issuing his order to cease or be dealt with.

_That day you met me on the shore told me everything I needed to know about you. You did not face me as a dragon, but as a man - a lack of respect for yourself and your kind. You spoke of compassion to a being far weaker than yourself which told me you were brittle long before I entered your mind. You walked away and left me alive that day and it taught me that you were afraid to face down a threat rather than snuff it out at once. You say you'll finish what you've started and I say that when you cross the finish line that my reign begins anew. All you have provided me with is a younger body to begin again._

Silver scales slowly spread up Lorelei's arms and across the expanse of his shoulders, his head shaking back and forth as if to dislodge Ferreus' words from within. Florian's voice had quieted to a low drone in the background that Lorelei couldn't pick apart to find sense in.

_All your misplaced faith will be what destroys you. All I have to do is sit back and wait, perhaps occasionally feed the fire for my own amusement. I have only been in this weak form for a few days and already you're falling apart. You didn't best me with skill, Lorelei, you simply lucked out._

"But I did best you." The words were spoken aloud in Draconic and understandable only to half the men in the room with him. "I warned you that you would be dealt with and you stubbornly refused to yield."

 _And here I remain - unyielding and in control._ The laughter echoed painfully in his head. _You may be ignorant to the history of our kind, but I remember the tales as if they were spoken only yesterday. Indra and A-Mordād could have been something great, but Indra was weak and A-Mordād foolish. You are not worthy to be counted among them, but I assure you that had I consumed your heart, I would not need the pathetic arms of a mortal to coddle me to health once more._

Lorelei felt a hand reach out and touch him, causing him to flinch and stumble backwards. The stone was still slick underfoot, but he managed to maintain his footing and remain standing. In his head, Ferreus chuckled like a gentle hush of waves lapping at a shoreline.

 _You think I'm powerless in here, but just watch what I can do to you. These bonds are no better than what the dwarves used to pin me to the mountain. I need very little time to loosen them._ No sooner had he said it than Lorelei felt the bonds begin to easily stretch as he extended his scaled arms against his will, the claws curling in preparation to strike. _You failed to deal with me properly, wyrmling, so now I ask that you cease resisting._

A low roar escaped Lorelei's mouth as he tried to issue warning, but his words were drowned out by sea water. The salt burned his throat as it spewed across the cave and he struggled to choke it down rather than expel it. The water pooled at his feet, causing him to slip backwards onto the floor. His eyesight returned to him as his arms broke through the bonds. Magni reached him first, pushing down on Lorelei with his full weight. Gabriel's hands found Lorelei's wrists and clamped down on them, holding them over the dragon's head and screaming over his shoulder words that made no sense to Lorelei in his muddled state.

He felt himself being forced to sit upright, pushing the men off him with incredible ease. Florian's hands found their grip on his shoulders, tugging him downwards as the three men worked as one to subdue him. Lorelei tried to move with them, to lay back against the stone willingly, but instead he twisted one way and then the other in a serpentine motion as he began to wriggle out of their grasp once more. His curled toes slowly elongated, growing talons, as he kicked at the floor and gouged the stone with his back claws.

Gabriel's voice was in his ear screaming curses to Mordenkainen as he witnessed the newly formed talons. With his distracted yelling, Lorelei freed his wrists from the man's grasp and knocked them all aside as he rolled away from them. On all fours, his body began attempting to shift into its natural state, but he resisted. Sea water sputtered out, replaced with jagged shards of ice and powdery snow as he slammed himself bodily into the stone walls. He could see the three men shouting at Mordenkainen, but the wizard merely watched in calm fascination with his pipe between his teeth.

Lorelei shut his eyes, commanding his body to submit to him rather than the sea dragon. Slowly, he felt the shape of his feet return to human flesh as his lower half slid haphazardly across the wet floor. He dug into the stone with his front talons, roaring like an avalanche against the crashing waves in his mind. He was aware Ferreus was screaming, but he couldn't hear him over his own howls. Outside the cave a strong wind buffeted against the stone, causing all but the wizard to flinch in fear.

As Lorelei's bellows died down, his body steadily shifted back into his human state and he collapsed against the wall, sliding down it in his exhaustion. There was dead silence in the cave as they all watched Lorelei with the worry that he would become violent once more, but after ten minutes had passed he began to stir. Slumped in a pile of snow, Lorelei's eyes opened and he examined each man in turn from a distance. Florian's shirt was torn, a wound weeping at his right arm, but otherwise he seemed unharmed. Magni's wounds from the night before were the only thing to mar his body. Gabriel, though visibly shaken and possibly bruised, seemed unscathed by Lorelei's violent escape. And then his eyes rested on Mordenkainen who still stood by the frozen heart enjoying his pipe while regarding the silver dragon with a curious expression.

Slowly, Florian took small steps towards the silver dragon, but Lorelei shook his head. With tremendous effort, he pulled himself up on the stones until he was standing by himself. With a shaky smile, he nodded to them all and chuckled. "I will finish what I started. I will not yield."

*~*~*~*

Come morning, Lorelei awoke feeling sore but himself. With a glance into the reflecting pool, he frowned at the golden eyes that gazed back at him. He hoped this would not be a change that lasted and would fade away once he had regained control of his mind. When he rose from his bed, he looked around to find himself alone for the first time in days. Getting to his feet was easier today, even if painful. It was slow progress, but he made his way out into the cave opening and caught sight of the snowy landscape beyond the cave mouth. Had he caused a snowstorm in his battle with Ferreus? All he remembered was resisting, but perhaps he had been more aggressive than he thought.

Without pausing to dwell on it, he trudged down the corridor to the library where he expected to find the mage. As expected, the old wizard was tucked in a corner near a roaring fire reading a book that Lorelei thought he recognized the cover of.

"Didn't that belong to my sister?" he asked, taking a seat across from Mordenkainen.

Mordenkainen, without looking up from his reading, replied, "If she cared for it, she would not have left it behind as she did. I've added the rest to the shelves alongside your brother's collection."

Lorelei leaned back into the comfortable cushions, turning his attention to the fireplace. The crackling was somehow soothing, reminding him of thawing ice. Closing his eyes, he waited until he heard the sound of Mordenkainen snapping the book shut before speaking again. "I felt you there during my fight with Ferreus last night." Without his eyes open, he could somehow still sense the smile the wizard wore.

"Oh? Was I that obvious?"

Lorelei chuckled. "You didn't intervene. In my mind or outside of it. Why?"

Mordenkainen mimicked Lorelei's relaxed posture in the armchair and laced his fingers together. "I needed to be sure you remembered how to stand on your own two feet. You did not disappoint." He inclined his head to Lorelei once he noticed the silver dragon peeking through squinted eyes at him. "You have earned a small amount of respect, but do not expect more from me."

"Oh, I'd imagine no one is ever satisfied if they expect things from you."

The wizard laughed, but said no more. Instead they lapsed into a comfortable silence while relaxing by the fire for the morning. Though Lorelei wanted to ask if Florian's wound had been tended to and the whereabouts of Magni and Gabriel, he let the curiosity remain for the moment. For now he simply wanted to enjoy this strange respite with his new ally.

*~*~*~*

At lunchtime Lorelei was revisited by the dwarven soldier. They sat in the former pub and, in silence, she tended his wounds while occasionally making very slight disapproving faces at the new damage to his body and a slight infection in one of his old injuries. As she finished bandaging him, Florian entered the room and sat beside him. As Lorelei redressed, Florian removed his shirt and allowed the dwarven woman to remove soaked-through bandages. There was more than just the one gash he'd seen on Florian's arm last night, instead every talon had dug into the flesh of his shoulder and ripped down below his elbow. Thankfully, none of the wounds seemed very deep, but it was clear that the dwarf had already tended to him earlier as she tossed aside his soiled bandages, cleansed the wounds, and began redressing them.

"Florian, I didn't know." Lorelei sat back down at his left side, feeling at a loss for words other than repeated apologies.

Florian simply smiled, though the action seemed pained. "No worries, Mister Dragon. I'm just glad you made it through the night." His expression soured as he glanced down at the dwarven woman's hands wrapping the bandages around his arm. "If anyone owes any apologies, it's the wizard. Damned fool just stood back and watched."

Lorelei bit his tongue, knowing no explanation would endear Florian to Mordenkainen's choices. "If I had better control of my powers, perhaps I could help mend you."

"Don't fret, Lorelei." As the woman finished, he rose and began pulling his shirt back on one-handed. "You need to focus more on mending yourself. If the last few nights are as brutal as last night, then I imagine you'll be in a cot on the mend for the rest of the year. Let's try to keep that from happening, alright?"

As they exited, Magni and Gabriel entered but neither man interacted with them as they passed by. Lorelei stared guiltily after them as they walked away and quietly asked Florian, "Are they angry with me?"

"No, I've already spoken with them. We've all pretty unanimously agreed that the mage is a worthless clod. I'd imagine they're just tired. None of us have rested since last night, but we still need to watch over the children."

Lorelei nodded to the floor. "Thank you for helping watch over them. Soon I'll be fit enough to take care of them myself."

Florian leaned back against the nearest wall, cradling his arm with his free hand. "I hate to ask, but do you think it'll be that bad tonight?" 

Unsure how to respond, Lorelei stood in silence instead. From behind Florian, Mordenkainen approached looking amused at their dark expressions. "What were you asking the dragon, Florian?"

Looking instantly disgruntled, Florian repeated his question as he turned to face Mordenkainen, "Do you think it will be as bad as last night for him?"

"Bad?" Fiddling with his pipe, he shook his head. "I think it went rather well."

"Apart from getting my arm gouged open." Florian hissed.

The wizard smirked, gesturing with his pipe at the arm Florian cradled protectively to his chest. "You call those tiny scratches gouges? I've seen simple halflings walk off worse injuries than yours. To answer your question, no -- I would expect tonight to be much smoother than the last."

The anger in Florian's face softened as he returned his attention to Lorelei, "I'll still be there by your side, but in my condition I won't be able to help restrain you if things get out of hand. Would you like for me to find volunteers in the village? Perhaps someone you know and trust? I know any of the men would be more than happy to help."

"Everyone I trust is already here, Florian." Lorelei spoke gently in the hopes of calming the anger simmering beneath the surface. "I trust if things get too out of hand, we can rely on Mordenkainen to step in."

"Oh can we?" The simmer rolled into a boil. Gesturing with his good arm to Mordenkainen, Florian began swearing in Draconic to Lorelei about how worthless he'd proved the night before.

With a small grin, Mordenkainen leaned between the two of them to say, "I am a well traveled man, Florian. Speaking such an ancient language does not guarantee my inability to understand it." Stepping back from the red faced Florian, he tucked his pipe stem at the corner of his mouth and continued, "I needed to see that Lorelei could be in control if given the chance. He performed splendidly. Rather than continually doubting him, you should bestow upon him even a shred of the ill-placed faith he has in you."

Mordenkainen's words hit a place that Florian did not wish to dwell on and rather than continue the fight, he moved to walk past him. "I'll see you at dinner time, Lorelei. I need to rest."

The pair watched Florian make his way down the corridor and out of sight before Lorelei rounded on the mage. "That was out of line, Kainen."

The busy eyebrows raised in surprise. "What a peculiar pet name." He delicately removed the pipe long enough to exhale. "I do appreciate it far more than the typical 'Mordy', I suppose." Replacing the pipe in its usual resting place, he motioned for Lorelei to follow him back to the library.

With his irritation fading, Lorelei walked with Mordenkainen into the comfort of the shelves and crackling hearth. While he paused in the doorway, Mordenkainen strode to the small section of books he'd combined between Eira and Sören and withdrew a book from the shelves.

"I found more information about the other three dragons. The very first to make the attempt of eating her opponent's heart was Sharmila. Simply a mother protecting her nest, nothing more. There isn't much detail on her opponent, but it seems he made continual advances on her even after she had chosen a mate. In order to get her attention, he came with the intent to harm her unhatched wyrmlings and she tore him apart before he could reach the nest. In her fury, she made a spectacle of displaying the other dragon's heart for all to see before finally feasting on it several days later. A pity, but in her days struggling to fight off the madness, her eggs were either stolen or destroyed. She was too out of her mind to know for sure. Personally, I would not be surprised if she had consumed them herself."

There was a pause where Mordenkainen's hand deftly flipped the pages until locating the information he wanted. "I find the second and third the most fascinating. Altai and Aurous were siblings and, much like you, had a love for a particular race over any others they had encountered. Altai, the much smaller female, was known for her compassion and gentle temperament. Due to this, her brother often felt the need to watch over her so though they lived in separate lairs, they lived essentially as next door neighbors to one another. Both favored dwarves as a race and took to guarding a rather large community of mountain dwarves after spending considerable time among them. Perhaps this was a slightly selfish choice on their part, given it meant being able to have a plentiful supply of gems to enjoy eating at their leisure."

Lorelei moved closer to Mordenkainen, trying to read over his shoulder as he turned to the next page. His eyes were drawn to artwork rather than the text itself, depicting two resplendent gold dragons with scales that shimmered even on the old page. Even just through the artwork, Lorelei could feel the bond between sister and brother as Aurous hovered over Altai. When Lorelei caught sight of their golden eyes, however, he quickly looked away and stepped back from Mordenkainen and the book he held.

"Altai claimed a lair in the mountains, keeping an ever watchful eye from above while her brother sought to be below the surface of a lake in an underwater cave. During the day they wandered the mines as dwarves, but resumed their usual forms come nightfall. The area was plentiful with rare ores and precious gems and had many nearby locations any dragon would love to turn into their own private lair. It was exactly this that caused such a disagreement between the siblings and any dragon who had previously lived in the area to raise up young. While Altai and Aurous had set up permanent residence, to many other dragons it was a place they had come to think of as belonging to them when nesting season came. Most gave up the fight, but two entitled iron dragons planned to work together on taking back what they felt to be rightfully theirs."

Mordenkainen paused, flipping back and forth between several pages before settling on one and continuing. "Altai was able to warn her brother before the dragons reached the dwarven homes, but it meant having to take a stand and fight. Aurous tried to reach a compromise that neither offended dragon cared to listen to. After fighting alongside his sister for several hours, they eventually managed to take down their challengers and rest. Come morning, they spoke to one another about the copper dragon Sharmila and what she had done several hundred years ago. Altai seemed favorable to the option, pointing out that this was likely to happen again given how coveted their land was. Aurous, however, was against the idea and argued against it for several days as they mended. Perhaps Altai was hopeful it would speed along her healing as she had been more grievously wounded than her brother. With more prodding, Aurous succumbed to her wishes and agreed to consume the hearts together. For him, it was an easy process. The heart he consumed left him feeling unwell and out of sorts, but in only a few days time he managed to gain control of himself. Altai, however, had a very similar reaction to yourself."

The book in his hands snapped closed and he turned to replace it on the shelf before settling down in one of the armchairs by the fire. "Being the smaller of the two, Altai was forced to consume her heart slowly over time. Aurous spent his days watching over her as she battled against the iron dragon's violent nature in her mind. With time, however, what once seemed to be getting worse slowly got better. It took Aurous forcing his sister to move through her torment and to use spells she felt she didn't have a handle on quite yet. Though every move was filled with fear, her ability to trust in her brother ultimately saved her life. They lived through the ordeal and afterwards were never trifled with again. Though they are both long gone now, I would imagine that community of dwarves is still living peacefully to this day protected by any offspring they may have had."

Lorelei stared at the mage as he rested in his seat, hands folded neatly in his lap and a serene expression on his face. "Is that why you've been pushing me as you have? Because of Altai?"

The old wizard nodded slowly, turning in his seat to better feel the warmth of the fire. "Altai was only a hundred years older than yourself. You will be the youngest successful dragon to participate in this ancient majick. I imagine there won't be a dragon living who does not know your name."

"What a revolting thing to be remembered for." Lorelei's face contorted with disgust as he slumped into his chair from the morning. He tried to let the crackling of the fire ease his spirits, but his mind was swimming with the new information Mordenkainen had imparted.

Mordenkainen turned his gaze upon the dragon's human form, looking into the tired old face as though trying to read the thoughts behind it from a distance. "Florian did not lie to me, I see. Your thirst for power is nonexistent."

Lorelei seemed taken aback at the words, staring back at the wizard with a bemused expression. "I have no interest in power. The only benefit I see from this situation is that it might enable me to better protect my people."

"What, may I ask, was your deciding factor in consuming the sea dragon's heart?" As he asked the question, Mordenkainen leaned forward in his seat expectantly.

With a sheepish smile, Lorelei turned his head from the old wizard's gaze. "Nothing that will warrant excitement, I can assure you. I simply spoke with the children and felt compelled to ensure they had more food to eat. It wouldn't be for long, but it would be something. Had I known it would be such an ordeal, I would have sought a better way." When the man laughed, it surprised him. It was possibly the first time he had heard true amusement escape the wizard rather than laughter for the sake of dismissiveness.

"So Florian pegged you rather well." he said at last, rearranging his beard against his chest.

"I wouldn't imagine I'm very hard to read. I am rather open with everything." As he spoke, he began easing himself out of the armchair to leave. "I suppose I should be resting. I'll see you for dinner." As walked past the armchair Mordenkainen occupied, he felt the old hand grasp for his arm and turned to make eye contact with the wizard.

"You performed in such an exemplary fashion last night, Lorelei. Tonight, try to eat a larger portion if you can." Before the silver could inquire as to why, the mage smiled up at him and released his arm. "Why not get it over with, after all? The faster the better."

With Altai's story swirling in his mind, Lorelei hesitantly nodded his head in acceptance. "I'll try."


	13. Part Thirteen

When the suns lowered it was with Lorelei resting on the shore, staring out to sea and ignoring Ferreus' voice the best he could the longer he peered at his former domain. Would the waters belong to him once he finished eating the sea dragon's heart? Lorelei wasn't sure he cared to command something so repulsive to him. Though the waters still seemed enchantingly beautiful, especially in this sunsetted light, he could feel the sickness in his stomach as he considered all the corpses scattered across its floors. Somewhere nagging at the back of his thoughts was a strange sense of pride he knew was not his own and he shoved it back down where it belonged.

With the suns leaving the sky painted in dusty pinks and shimmering saffron strands, he waited in watch along the shoreline. Lorelei had not returned to town to check Sascha's home, but the weight of his key rested heavy in his pocket. His nature deemed that he cling to his shaky hope until the end, but the whispering sea dragon wove in uncertainties each time he sought comfort in his unlikely dreams. When it became apparent that they would not meet along the shore today, he slowly rose and returned to the cave to meet the others in his resting chamber.

They stood around in silence with all but Mordenkainen looking somber. Florian waited beside the frozen heart while Gabriel and Magni shared a conversation in hushed tones off to the side. As he entered, however, they quieted and watched him expectantly. Mordenkainen, ever unphased, reclined in his armchair looking unusually chipper by comparison to the other cave occupants. Without pause, he strode past them all and began in silence.

When Lorelei withdrew his claw from the remains of Ferreus' heart, he could instantly hear the whispering behind him between Gabriel and Magni. Florian appeared at his side, looking quizzical, "What are you doing?"

A bitter smile curled on one side of Lorelei's mouth, "Having dinner."

Before he could raise the mass to his lips, Florian's good arm pulled it down again and he shook his head. "That's much larger than what you typically eat. I thought you were pacing yourself?"

"The wizard and I already discussed it. There's nothing to worry about."

"Nuthin' to worry about?" Magni said as he approached, though his hardened gaze was trained on Mordenkainen rather than Lorelei. "Ya damn near ripped off Florian's arm, took a chunk outta my face, and broke one of Gabe's ribs. I think there's a right many things to worry about here."

Gabriel slowly appeared behind Magni, looking unsure if he should speak up. "Lorelei, I trust any judgement ya make, but it isn't your's we're questionin'. It's his." He nodded towards the comfortably reclining Mordenkainen. "If this were your choice alone, I'd follow ya wholeheartedly. I promise I would."

"Lorelei, did he even warn you what this could do to you?" Florian had now also turned his eyes on Mordenkainen. "Did he say how it might break you this time? Has he explained anything or is this more of your blind trust in untrustworthy people?"

Mordenkainen interrupted, "I take it you know all about that, Florian."

Florian's face reddened and he began advancing, "I may only have one arm, you piece of shit, but I can beat you bloody all the same." It came as a surprise to all of them that it was Magni who reached out to hold him back.

The unbothered mage inclined his head to Magni in thanks before focusing on the red-faced Florian. "Had you managed to take another step towards me, you would have a lot more to mourn than the loss of a single arm. You have no imagination to even begin to comprehend what I could do to you. Do not speak out of turn again."

As Magni opened his mouth to interject, Mordenkainen cut him off as well, "That goes double for you, bodyguard. As I recall, you seemed quite thankful to have me here up until a day or so ago. Nothing has changed. Of all this room's occupants, I am the most well-equipped to handle the situation. Regardless of whether I tell the dragon what will happen to him or not matters little at the end of this. What matters is that he still be standing. I would imagine as a father, Florian, you never explained to your children how much something would hurt when encouraging them to do things beyond their normal capabilities?"

Florian lowered his head, the anger leaving pain in his face and arms from a clenched jaw and shaking fists.

"You do not explain to a child exactly how they will get hurt, but simply encourage them to try. Lorelei promised that he would try and as the encouraging parent, I can only standby and supervise him." Though his tone was relaxed, Mordenkainen had sat upright and was seated at the edge of his chair in a position that told Lorelei he was fully prepared to fight, though he doubted extremely that there would be much fight on the other side of the equation.

"I made my choice. I agreed knowing that I know...nothing." Lorelei stared down at the pulpy mass in his claw. "I have reached the close of this. Tomorrow this can all be over and we need not gather here again." With his humanoid hand, he gestured to the remaining chunk of heart inside the ice. "I can finish this now or I can drag it out over another week. I prefer to be done and to move on with my life. There are people outside this cave who need me to help rebuild, and I have dawdled too long already."

Florian's clenched fists slowly uncurled, but his face remained unchanged as he glared at the wizard. "If this kills him, I will end you."

Mordenkainen smirked, getting off his seat and sending it away with a snap. "You are welcome to foolishly try, but later." He gave a small nod to Lorelei as a gesture to continue.

Before anyone could say anything more, Lorelei began eating. It was harder to swallow than usual after having tasted real food again, but once it was down there was a long moment of silence. Lorelei slowly turned on the spot, locking eyes with Mordenkainen who looked only slightly confused. Unsure how to feel, Lorelei let his claw shift back into a human hand and opened his mouth to speak. He had a momentary giddiness that had only been half realized before he blacked out. His thoughts were overrun with images of exploding planets, cacophonous sounds, a never ending void filled only with a solitary human figure commanding innumerable red strands. At his bidding they wove through vacuity and snuffed out the life of all they touched. As Lorelei watched what he could only imagine was a memory belonging to Ferreus, he realized he had never truly felt the full extent of fear until this moment.

_You are right to be in awe, wyrmling. Perhaps now you will come to understand me better. I saw this vision in my youth at the bottom of the ocean and knew I would never amount to such greatness. All you have seen of my powers amount to nothing in comparison of this Great Wyrm's skill._

When Lorelei was forced to gaze into the vibrant green eyes of the young man controlling the threads, he was left with no doubt at Ferreus' inaccuracy. This was no dragon, but a mere human. With a wicked smile, the human gazed over his destruction as it culminated into an expansive storm. His gleeful eyes reflected the revolutions of a great tempest made by his own hand. With every torn apart world, the storm increased in size filling Lorelei with horror while he felt the sea dragon writhe with pleasure at the sight.

_I have spent my existence hoping to one day achieve such greatness, and though I may not have succeeded in my first attempt I tell you assuredly: When your body belongs to me, I will attain that wish._

Lorelei wanted to speak, to tell Ferreus just how wrong he was. He was unable to fully enjoy the irony that the sea dragon had been idolizing that which he claimed to loathe all these centuries. Lorelei watched as though he were paralyzed while once gorgeous constellations fell into darkness. With a simple motion of his hand, the threads wrapped around planets and split them apart in seconds. The deaths were innumerable, the destruction extending farther than any mortal mind could fathom, and yet even in his horrified state there was something oddly impressive about the scope of this seemingly ordinary human's power. He heard and understood it to be the young man speaking, but did not recognize the word, "Urdun."

The vision faded and Lorelei was left lost in a void that his eyes could not peer through. Through the darkness, his vision settled on a small, glimmering blue light. Coiled around it with the light reflected in his golden gaze was a far younger Ferreus. As Lorelei's eyes adjusted to the brightness, he could make out the shape of a seed that had garnered the sea dragon's attention. This version of Ferreus was truly just a wyrm, his size so small that it was hard to picture him having grown into the monstrosity Lorelei had somehow managed to best in combat thousands of years later.

_This tiny seed is what gave me these visions. I wished to keep it with me that I might see them again, but it never spoke to me afterwards. Though I commanded the waters around it, I could not force it to move with the pull of my waves. As my powers grew, I thought perhaps that might change, but it remained firmly set where I had found it. Now it rests somewhere surrounded by the broken vessels of your people. Hidden from sight by any prying eyes, it now remains mine alone to visit whenever I wish. I would imagine your weak nature could not hope to obtain its power._

Lorelei struggled against the visions, willing himself to wake, "You are unable to do anything without my permission Ferreus. As long as I remain, you will never see this accursed thing again."

The screaming that erupted around him was not of Ferreus' making. As he came to on the stone floor, he was thankful to notice straight away that he was not damp either from snow or ocean spray. Standing over him was Magni being restrained by Gabriel as the former hurled obscenities like daggers at Mordenkainen.

"I'm tellin' ya to wake him up!" Magni snarled, bulging veins pulsing in his neck. "If ya were so certain ya had it under control, tell us what the hell is happenin'!"

The next thing to catch his attention was Florian slumped against the wall nearby, seemingly unconscious, but otherwise in one piece.

"How would I know what's happening? This is the first time I've ever witnessed it." Mordenkainen stood with the expression Lorelei remembered from when the wizard had blasted him across the room several days ago before restraining him. 

"You're usin' him like a plaything, ya sick bastard!" Magni struggled and freed himself of Gabriel's grip, but did not move closer to the mage. The man shook so violently it was impressive that he was able to form coherent sentences at all. "It was a mistake to let ya in here. I regret ever lettin' ya into our library. Fuckin' prideful bastard, I'll kill ya myself if he doesn't come to!"

Lorelei groaned from their feet. "His hubris is well earned. Stand down, Magni."

The old wizard gestured down at their feet as Lorelei's eyes darted back and forth between them. "I told you he was fine. Unless you wish to join the drunkard, I recommend you step aside."

Whispering curses under his breath, Magni took a step back and offered Lorelei his hand. "You've been passed out for a while, Mister Lorelei. Are ya alright?"

Ignoring the throbbing pain in his head, Lorelei nodded. Rising from the floor with a low grunt, he gave his thanks to Magni as he slumped against the stone wall near Florian's collapsed body. Pointing at the stunned man, he inquired of the mage, "Am I to assume he's alright?"

Mordenkainen shrugged. "It's the same thing I used on you. Just a minor bump on the head, I'm sure."

"He blasted the poor bastard off his feet with a gust of wind." Magni grumbled.

"To be fair, I was aiming for both of you." Mordenkainen began pulling out his pipe, stepping away from the men. "The truly foolish thing was attacking a man with fists raised when I can simply banish you to another plane."

Magni glanced down at Florian, slowly calming down now that Lorelei was up and coherent. "Florian worked on the docks, but I worked the ships. I know how to stand firm against a strong storm wind. Ya won't be bowlin' me over so easily."

"Yes, yes, we're all very impressed." No longer willing to indulge Magni's irritation, he turned to Lorelei and exhaled a plume of smoke. "So no torrents of salt water, no barrage of icicles, not even a light rumble of thunder outside. What happened to you?"

Lorelei hesitated, trying to think of a way to explain what he'd witnessed before realizing it wasn't something he felt comfortable with sharing. Slowly, he shook his head and muttered, "I just blacked out."

In his head, Mordenkainen's voice said firmly: _Drivel_.

"Well, I'm just glad you're alright." Gabriel moved to Florian's side, kneeling beside him and checking the back of his head. "He's got a small lump from smackin' into the stone, but he's still breathin'. I'll ask Nin to have a look at him tonight."

"Who's Nin?" Lorelei asked as he stared down at Gabriel.

"Nin, the dwarven woman. Ya don't remember her?" Magni asked, seeming quite pleased at Florian's state now that tensions had died down.

Lorelei slowly shook his head, "No, no. I do remember her. I never had the common sense to ask her name." The guilt must have been evident on his face because Gabriel at once tried to comfort him.

"No need to fret, Mister Lorelei. You've been goin' through so much, it's a wonder more hasn't slipped your mind than that." He offered a comforting smile. "I'm sure she'll understand."

As Gabriel rose to retrieve the dwarven woman, an awkward silence settled on the remaining chamber occupants. Shifting from one foot to the other, Magni finally broke the quiet. "So. Tomorrow's it, then?"

Mordenkainen nodded, looking at the small frozen piece remaining. "So it would seem."

"Did ya get what ya wanted?" Magni's words ended with a snarl as he stared down the wizard.

"Well, that remains to be seen."

Lorelei could feel Mordenkainen's eyes watching him closely, but more than that he sensed a gentle prodding at the corners of his mind as the mage tried to find what information Lorelei was not willing to share aloud. "Knock it off, Kainen." Lorelei had intended his voice to sound firm, but it was tinged with the sound of ocean waves. Underneath his golden gaze, he felt Mordenkainen's presence vanish from his mind but the old man did not physically retreat from him. Instead he merely smiled, shrugging as if to say he couldn't be blamed for trying.

Just as Lorelei had given in to Magni's constant requests to escort him to his cushioned spot by the reflecting pool, Gabriel returned with the dwarven woman at his side. Her eyes moved from Lorelei to Florian still out cold on the floor and sighed. "Never seen so many people get hurt just staying in one place. Humans are fragile."

Magni jerked his thumb in Lorelei's direction, "That's a dragon, miss."

She stared at Lorelei for several moments and shrugged, "He chose to look human. It fits."

She leaned over and hoisted Florian's dead weight onto her shoulder, motioning for Lorelei to follow. "I'll need to look at your healing progress." Quietly, Lorelei followed after her as Florian's head bounced against her backside.

They settled in the pub where Lorelei gingerly rested in a nearby booth and watched as the dwarf began inspecting the lump at the back of Florian's head. As he watched her he wondered if she held a grudge for how they'd reclaimed everything as their own. "I'm sorry I didn't ask your name before, Nin."

The woman jerked at the name. "Ninhursag." She corrected him. "The old men couldn't say my name, so they started calling me Nin."

Lorelei inclined his head apologetically, "Forgive me then. I should have asked sooner."

"Did you look into it?" What small amount of friendliness had lingered in her voice faded.

"I'm sorry?"

She withdrew her hands from treating Florian and turned in her bent position to face the dragon. "Sindri and the other dwarves. You told me you would look into it."

Lorelei couldn't help but stutter over his words in surprise, "I haven't exactly been in top shape to do anything yet, but I promise I will look when I can."

Her eyes bore into him as though she hoped he would say more. Silently, she turned back to her task and an uneasiness hung in the air between them. When she was finished tending the head, she moved to inspect the bandages on Florian's arm. The rough voice came shaken from her throat, "Lost my family that night. Thought they might've gotten caught up in that light from the sea. Not sure, though. Thought you might have answers."

Apologetically, he shook his head. "Not yet."

Ninhursag fell back into her thoughts and focused on her work while Lorelei looked on with a heavy heart. While he waited, he traced his fingers over the splintered wood of the tabletop and wondered if it was the product of a bar fight or the joyous slamming of a mug of ale. In the background of his mind he could feel the sea dragon stirring and wondered if he could find a way to tether him somewhere within the way that Sindri had tried to do the night of their battle.

As if in response to Lorelei's thought, a gentle chuckle of waves washed over the idea until it was lost to him. Even without Ferreus speaking, Lorelei understood. 'Mere toothpicks' and all that. In his weakened state he would be lucky to manage any sort of barrier against the sea beast.

When Ninhursag rested her hand on his arm he blanched and pulled away at once. With one eyebrow raised, she reached for him again and spoke, "Undress to show me your wounds."

Obediently, Lorelei did as asked and settled back down in his seat while Ninhursag set to work. Though she didn't say it aloud, she seemed pleased with the healing of the previously infected injury and with progress he had made in his recovery. After removing some bandages and replacing others, she gave her blessing for Lorelei to don his clothes once more as she began packing up her small satchel of medical supplies. As she prepared to leave, Mordenkainen appeared at the door, rapping at the frame with his knuckles to announce his arrival.

"Where should I put the stunned one?" she asked Lorelei, ignoring the wizard at the door.

Though unaddressed, it was Mordenkainen who answered. "Oh, leave him. I'm sure he'll feel right at home in a place like this." He merely smiled at the glare Lorelei shot his way, but Ninhursag had already nodded and moved out the door past him.

Mordenkainen motioned for Lorelei to follow him, "Come now, I want to hear about tonight."

Lorelei remained seated, eyes still narrowed. "I would rather not."

With a sigh, Mordenkainen strode over to the booth Lorelei was seated at and slid into the seat across from him. Lacing his fingers together atop the table, he waited patiently as he gazed into the golden eyes.

The bitter taste that had risen in Lorelei's mouth suddenly resonated as brine and he swallowed it down hurriedly. In the hopes of calming himself, he focused instead on Florian's body on the floor. Instead he felt his fingers twitch, curling into the familiar shape of claws which he hid beneath the table.

Looking amused, Mordenkainen watched him for several moments before finally speaking. "You really do wear your emotions on your sleeve. As I've said already, you should rein that in."

_If you kill him we can submerge his body fathoms below the sea._

With a smile, he leaned across the table closer to the flustered dragon. "He does know I can hear him, doesn't he?"

"You wouldn't if you would stay out of my head." Lorelei growled, curling and uncurling his talons out of sight. "I would imagine you also do not care for uninvited guests. So far I have done everything you have asked, the least you could do is bestow a small amount of privacy in my own damned mind."

Mordenkainen paused for several moments before slowly sitting back in his seat, the smile sliding away. "Some might argue that my intrusiveness is ensuring that you don't turn on us in your madness. I would imagine most might deem it a necessary precaution."

As though unveiling a weapon, Lorelei let his claws rest on top of the table between them as they dug into the wood. Their movement ruined the previous blemish he had traced with his fingers before as his talons gouged the surface. "You told me I had earned your respect, Kainen. You have yet to behave in a manner that shows that to be true."

"Correction: I said you had earned a _small_ amount of respect. It was meant to be a compliment that you had so far managed to avoid death."

"Stay out of my mind, Mordenkainen." Lorelei rose from the table, leaning down to inspect Florian as his claws vanished to be replaced by hands. Florian did not stir and, though he knew it would cause pain, he lifted the man in his arms in a cradled position. The motion alone reminded him of Florian's infancy and the joy on Adelaide's face after childbirth. He closed his eyes and hoped the memory would disappear, not wanting to share any part of his past with the sea dragon inside him.

"I'll see you tomorrow night. After that, I expect you to return to the inn and be on your way." Without a backward glance, Lorelei carried Florian out of the pub with his head held high despite the growing ache in his chest.


	14. Part Fourteen

Gabriel woke him in the morning looking anxious, "Mister Lorelei? The elves are causin' a scene in town."

Still entangled in blankets, Lorelei struggled to rise from his bed. He had opted to stay near Florian during the night and taken residence in one of the many available beds. As he sat with his legs planted on the floor, he glanced at the bed where Florian still lay unmoving. Without answering Gabriel, he rose and went to check that Florian was still breathing.

"A group of elves are standin' in the village streets armed to the teeth. They're not makin' any sense, threatenin' to steal our food or kill us or both." Gabriel paused and waited for Lorelei to finish tending to Florian. Once the silver had given him his full attention he began again, "Magni is out there now, but they're behavin' like maniacs. Most of 'em shirtless, got their chests all carved up, chantin' some sort of nonsense."

"Was Karina with them?" Lorelei asked, satisfied for the moment that Florian would be fine. As he left the room, Gabriel walked at his side down the corridor and out into the sunlight. Somewhere in the cave, Lorelei could hear the children laughing together and hoped that no one had been foolish enough to leave Mordenkainen alone with the orphans.

Gabriel nodded, "Pretty sure she was. Leadin' the pack."

Even from a distance Lorelei was able to see the chaos the wood elves had stirred up among the residents of the fishing village. Human men stood shoulder-to-shoulder barring their entry into the village in its entirety while elven men beat their bare chests while clutching dwarven weaponry in their fists. Magni had managed to somehow wedge himself between the two groups and was seemingly struggling to not lose his cool the way he had last night, but judging by the twitching of his left eye it wouldn't last. Standing off to the side with a haze of smoke over his head was Mordenkainen observing the scene with an amused expression. While Lorelei approached Mordenkainen, Gabriel went to Magni's side to join in with the attempt of settling the people's nerves on both sides.

Lorelei gestured grandly at the huddle of people as he stared at the old mage's relaxed expression. "I see you couldn't be bothered to help with this."

Mordenkainen lowered his pipe, eyes still scanning the scene before them. "It's been a while since I've enjoyed a good show. Care to join me?"

Lorelei turned from him but Mordenkainen called after him, "Those weapons are rather interesting, aren't they? They seem to bear a striking resemblance to the knife the elf tried to use on me a few days ago."

Lorelei paused, turning to face the wizard. "They're all made by the dwarves here, what of it?"

Mordenkainen shook his head, "Oh no, not just by any dwarves. They're all of Sindri's craftsmanship. You'll notice it if you step closer. He seems to have his family crest as his mark for all his weaponry."

Before Lorelei could respond, a wave of voices washed over him all at once.

"There he is!"

"The demon Lorelei!"

"Gut the vile beast!"

Lorelei turned to see the approaching wood elves and the strange bloodied marks on their chests. It was such a mess of dirt and ichor that he was unable to make out what the symbols were even up close. At the center of their mass stood Karina who seemed to be the only one present to not have made the attempt at carving her own flesh. When he locked eyes with her she simply smirked, pushing through the throng to reach him.

In Elvish they cheered the valiant Ferreus and his attempts to right the great wrong that befell them. That the humans had cheated both them and the dwarves and deserved recompense. Lorelei could feel Ferreus eager to understand what the elves were saying, recognizing only his name in the jumble of foreign words.

Karina stood tall and proud, hair elegantly swept to one shoulder and wearing fine silken garments. Lorelei smiled at her, shaking his head, "You come brandishing weaponry but are dressed for a party. Which am I to believe?" For once, she seemed to be unphased by Lorelei's usage of Elvish.

"Why can it not be both?" she lifted her dagger, admiring it in the sunlight. "We're here for what is ours, lizard. Our people have starved long enough and if you think you are so mighty as to kill the great Ferreus and leave us with nothing, then we will take it by force."

Lorelei motioned for the men barring entry to the village to stand aside. With uncertainty, they slowly did as asked. "You can search every building, Karina. No force necessary. I only ask you leave the people's homes untouched. You will find nothing but moldy bread and hardened cheese. I will wait here for you to finish."

Karina stared at him, taken aback by the dragon's actions, and while she stood in awe her people had already poured into the village taking what they believed was rightfully theirs. They swarmed the Bed and Breakfast and closed up food stores that had long since been empty. A single man had ventured towards the residential area and, before Lorelei could act, he heard the man swear and step back as he narrowly dodged a bolt of lightning. Behind Lorelei, he heard Mordenkainen's gentle chuckle.

After the elves were done, the doors to the Bed and Breakfast had been left wide open, empty food store doors had been smashed in with dwarven steel, and feeble attempts at gardening plots were trampled. Only a handful of men carried anything worth salvaging in their arms. The fool who had tried to enter the human homes staggered back holding several bottles of alcohol from Florian's inn, but nothing more. While her people looked satisfied with their pillaging, Karina's face looked sour.

Quietly, she asked of him, "Where's the rest?"

Lorelei held out empty palms, "There is nothing else. You have taken all we have. Now kindly leave."

Karina took a few steps forward, hissing in low tones to Lorelei, "I can't go back with just this. There has to be more. Our people are starving."

Mordenkainen came to stand at Lorelei's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You have taken more than you deserve, child. Go home."

Still oblivious to Karina's crestfallen expression, she moved back to the woods with her people in tow while they resumed their chanting and feasted on their meager spoils. Even before they had moved out of sight, the men of the village rounded on Lorelei in anger. Though their words were harsh, Lorelei knew it was not out of true rage they spoke, but out of fear. What would they do now?

"Magni. Gabriel. Are any of the ships still functional?"

Magni shook his head, "All we got are small rowboats until we finish buildin' somethin' larger."

One of the men spat on the ground at Lorelei's feet, "The fish are gone! We'd be wastin' our time!"

Before the chorus of men could reach an overpowering pitch, Lorelei passed through them and into the village with Gabriel and Magni at his side. The three of them led the men to the docks while Lorelei's eyes took in the expanse of sea before them. The sea air left him feeling unsettled, but it was something he would learn to love again in time. True to Magni's word, the only means of going out were in three small rowboats and, at his command, Gabriel and Magni began climbing inside and motioning for others to follow.

At the shoreline, Lorelei noted there were at least two others that looked to have been recently built. "Are those sea worthy?"

The men looked over their shoulders. "One is. The other needs more work."

"Get it into the water." Lorelei turned to the man nearest him, "A crew of five for each, am I correct?"

The man nodded, "Aye. Four rowers, one to steer. Ya can fit a few more, though, to handle nets. Plenty of room for that."

Lorelei's eyes sized up the boats before finally settling on two extra people per vessel. "Come on, it's time to fish again."

As the fourth rowboat splashed into the water, Lorelei climbed into the boat with Gabriel and ensured they were equipped with nets. In a low voice, he asked Gabriel, "How likely is it for this craft to capsize?"

Gabriel smiled, watching the rest of their crew file in. "Not hard even on gentle waves. They're meant more for wanderin' the shorelines, but we've got masts to take them further in. Just dodgy."

"I have a favor to ask of you," Lorelei lowered his voice, pulling Gabriel in close. "If I seem to not be myself, I need you to punch me as hard as you can. Do you understand?" He noticed the look in Gabriel's eye and spoke before the man could object, "We need to be able to feed these people, but if I start to lose my grip I need to know you can bring me back to myself."

The old man nodded, flashing a nervous smile. "Oh, no worries, Mister Lorelei. I got a mean right hook, I do."

Before Gabriel untethered them from the pier, Lorelei felt a hand tap his shoulder from behind. Above him on the dock stood Mordenkainen. "Shall I assist?"

"You're going to actually help?" Lorelei raised an eyebrow.

"I help plenty when the mood strikes me." Mordenkainen walked to the far edge of the dock. "I can keep the sea calm while you summon the fish. It will be a strain for you either way, but at least this keeps you from moving too far too fast with your new abilities."

Lorelei slowly bowed his head in thanks to Mordenkainen as Magni called to them he was ready to move. There was a brief moment where their little boats bobbed and wobbled dangerously on the calm waves before the water around them settled into stillness comparable to a mirror. Lorelei chanced a glance back at the remaining men on shore to see Mordenkainen with his arms outstretched and an intensely focused expression on his face still standing upon the dock.

Even on a much smaller vessel, Magni and Gabriel seemed in their element. Both men had excitement in their eyes and Lorelei caught Gabriel breathing in deep once they were far from shore. Catching Lorelei watching him, Gabriel blushed and shrugged, "I can't help it. Don't tell Magni, but the sea will always be my first love."

Lorelei smiled, nodding to Magni in the boat up ahead who wore a very similar expression. "I think he would say the same."

Gabriel laughed, gathering up the nets in his hands. "He's the better fisherman, for sure, but I grew up on the sea more than on land. Soon as I could walk I'd follow after my father whenever I could. Drove my ma mad with worry, though. Maybe if we'd been livin' in a different time, eh?" He paused, taking in another deep breath of sea air. "Now that the sea dragon is dead, some other kid can go out like I always wanted. I was lucky to not be on board when my father died, but watchin' what losin' him did to my ma... I almost wish I had been."

Magni's voice bellowed across the water to the three other ships, "Far enough, lads! We can drop here!"

At once the clattering of oars being dropped inside the rowboats responded to his voice as the men moved to assist with tossing out the nets. Several men reached to reclaim their oars, but Gabriel called out to them, "Don't bother! They won't have to be scared in today."

With all eyes on him, Lorelei knelt down and looked to Gabriel for confirmation. He smiled, lifting his right fist and patting it to say he understood. Lorelei closed his eyes, focusing on that feeling he'd had along the shore with Mordenkainen. It was more important than before that he be able to follow through -- there was absolutely nothing left waiting them at home other than the small portion they'd stowed within the cave for the children. It was this or nothing. He did not have the luxury of failure.

The crashing waves of laughter cascaded over his thoughts. _I sent the fish away ages ago, wyrmling. They had no right to live in my waters._

That was all? With this new information, Lorelei invited the fish to return. The sea was safe to freely roam in once more. There would be no consequence, no need to hide, no sea dragon to make them suffer for living as they had once done. Though Lorelei could hear no response, he felt that his actions were correct.

_You think simply saying 'welcome home' will cause the fish to return? It isn't so simple a task._

"It was simple for you to send them away. Why should it be suddenly difficult to bring them back?" He felt the boat shift beneath him and a cry rise up from the men as they screamed to one another to pull up the nets immediately.

With eyes closed, Lorelei felt the small boat rock from side to side as the men he rode with struggled with their haul. Around him he heard the shouts of the men and the loud splashing as they fought against the weight of their nets in the sea.

Lorelei slowly opened his eyes, ignoring the shaking in his hands, and stared at Magni's boat as they hauled in their first decent catch in years. He expected Magni to turn and look at him in surprise, but instead the old man's face broke into a wide smile. The other three boats finally managed to pull in their nets and gaze wide-eyed at the shimmering, writhing mass of fish caught in their trammels.

Even as they began rowing back to the docks, Lorelei's ears were filled with the resounding cheers of the men who surrounded him. Much like the elves had sang praises to Ferreus, a chorus went up in praise of Lorelei and his new powers. Though he was thankful to have succeeded and bring them joy, he disliked the adoration. For Lorelei this was simply what needed to be done.

As they docked, Mordenkainen slowly lowered his hands and opened his eyes to witness the people's joy. He locked eyes with Lorelei and nodded in appreciation of his work. As the wizard walked away, the sea came alive again around them and the little boats rocked gently as they began unloading their catch on the shore. Lorelei rejoined with Magni, who seemed relaxed for the first time in days. Lorelei rested a hand on his shoulder and the old man turned instantly to pull him into a tight hug. With Lorelei's whimpers, he released his hold and apologized, "Sorry, Mister Lorelei. Didn't reopen any wounds, did I?"

"Not at all, I'm just still very sore." Lorelei's hands slowly moved over his own body, feeling out the outline of the bandages beneath his clothes and falling at ease when he couldn't locate any dampness of seeping blood. "From here on out, I believe you and the men will have no trouble fishing."

Magni moved to clap Lorelei appreciatively on the back but stopped himself at the last second, hesitating before patting him thankfully on the shoulder instead. "You've done so much for us -- thank you."

As Lorelei opened his mouth to answer, he caught sight of Mordenkainen in the distance disappearing into the Bed and Breakfast unaccompanied. Feeling curious, he excused himself from his conversation and followed after him. Inside the dining area were scattered items from the elves raid. Chairs and tables knocked over or pushed to the side needlessly, broken bottles behind the bar that the dragon carefully tip-toed past in bare feet. The backroom was quiet when he entered and the dragon seemed unable to bring himself to whisper into the shadows. As he moved deeper into the room, the mage turned a corner carrying two straw baskets and startling him.

"What are you doing in here? Aren't your adoring fans still waiting outside for you?" Mordenkainen scooted past the dragon, holding the baskets awkwardly above his head as he shimmied through the piles of boxes and out of the room.

Lorelei followed after him. "I was coming to ask you the same thing."

"Funny." He set the baskets down on the table. "I wasn't aware I had any adoring fans outside."

Though he normally would have made a witty retort, Lorelei's eyes had caught sight of the basket contents and his jaw slowly fell open. Fresh mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, and other vegetables filled both baskets. It was food they hadn't seen in ages since the elves had stopped trading with them. "Where did you..."

"Oh, there's a whole mess of them back there. How could both your people and the elves have missed this?" Mordenkainen began striding away, presumably to gather more baskets, but Lorelei grabbed him by the wrist.

"Kainen, did you..?" He shook his head slowly. "You know our people had nothing like this. We wouldn't have been eating molding bread and hard cheese this whole time if so. These are fresh -- all of the gardens have turned up empty or bore only rotten crops. This had to be you."

Pulling his wrist free, Mordenkainen resumed his journey into the back room and out of sight only to return with two more baskets filled with more of the same: bright red tomatoes, grapes that appeared to be fresh from the vine, nutritious cucumbers. "I don't even like your people. What would I have to gain by doing anything for any of you?"

As the mage turned once more to return into the shadows of the store room, Lorelei grabbed him again and forced him into a hug that the wizard did not return. Even as Lorelei uttered a genuine thank you, he felt the man stiffen in his embrace. After a moment's indulgance, Mordenkainen gently pried himself away, nodded firmly, and continued his delivery of food to the bar.

Eight baskets in total overflowing with perfectly edible food, more than enough to feed the people of the village for a night. "Is there more?" Lorelei asked, running his fingers across the items in awe.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll find more you all overlooked in time." He began heading for the door, "Make sure your people get fed. I expect that your bountiful harvest won't last more than, oh, say twenty four hours."

Lorelei followed the wizard out the door but Mordenkainen seemingly had vanished from sight as soon as he exited the building. The streets were bustling with activity as men carted fish from the shore to nearby shacks. He suddenly remembered Clara from the day he first came to the village telling him about how she could show him around the next day without the men carting around smelly fish all day, but in this moment it was a sight and smell he welcomed. He watched Magni ordering men about with Gabriel at his side giving calmer instructions to those nearest him. After everyone was sure of their tasks, the two men joined him as he led him into the Bed & Breakfast to show them Mordenkainen's haul.

"Ya mean the ol' gaffer could have just fed us the entire time?" Magni snarled, staring at the baskets lined up on the bar.

Gabriel hushed him, running his hands along the produce as if he couldn't believe it was real. "Seems like it might be magic outside his comfort zone, eh? I'm grateful all the same."

"I hate to ask, but seeing as Florian is incapacitated for the moment, would either of you be willing to ration these out to the people?" Lorelei watched them hesitantly.

Magni snorted, but Gabriel spoke first, "I'll take care of it, Mister Lorelei."

Gabriel began separating the food into piles as Magni and Lorelei left the building together. Standing together in the busy street, Magni placed his balled up fists on his hips and surveyed the work from a distance. "This place is starting to feel like home again."

Lorelei smiled, but he felt the corners of his lips twitch as though the action was long since disused and unfamiliar. "I hope it lasts."

"Celebrate, why don't ya?" Magni said, turning his gaze on Lorelei. "We're all alive, aye? That's a miracle. Pretty sure I've heard ya say it yourself, but we're a resilient lot. We'll come out on top in the end."

Before Magni could walk away Lorelei asked, "What happened to Gabriel's mother? He mentioned loving the sea as a child and it left me curious."

"Ah, that..." Magni's joyous expression faded away at the memories that washed over him. "We both idolized our dads. Thought they had the most honorable work and talked for hours about the beauty of the sea. What we saw from home couldn't hold a candle to what my pa described to me. I was obedient and stayed home, but Gabe always managed to find ways aboard. Loved climbin' the rigging and swingin' around until the crew chased him off. One day his pa didn't make it back. Wife couldn't take it and hung herself." Magni took a deep breath, watching the sea in the distance. "We don't really talk about it. Gabe and I were inseparable as kids so there was never a doubt in my family's mind about taking him in when the body was found."

Lorelei followed Magni to the shoreline, watching his feet rather than stare at the sorrowful look on Magni's face.

"I was young, I didn't understand it at first, but Gabe had a rough time for years." Magni sniffed, stepping onto the docks with Lorelei at his side. "He brought me here when we became men. Finally allowed to join the crew we'd idolized all our lives. Told me he wasn't afraid of the sea, but he didn't want anyone who cared about him to off themselves the way she did if he never came back in one piece." Magni laughed, shrugging his shoulders as if to shake off the bad memories. "Gave the damned fool a punch in the gut and then kissed him for the first time. Told him if he died I'd be right there with him. Wouldn't have the chance to off myself."

Lorelei smiled, but even the happy memory held pain. "I'm sorry I -- "

"Naw, naw." Magni shook his head, reaching out to pat Lorelei on the shoulder several times. "It's in the past. Our fathers knew what could happen and accepted that reality. At least he died in a place he loved, eh?" Withdrawing his hand, the old man motioned towards the cave, "Should probably check on your friend. Damn crazy mage may not have killed him, but he sure got him good."

They exchanged goodbyes and Lorelei returned to the cave to find Florian groaning in his bed. With relief he knelt at his bedside and urged him to stop moving. "I'll call for Ninhursag. Stay here."

It took a few moments of searching, but the dwarven woman seemed to have taken it upon herself to watch over the children without anyone present. A quick whispered word in her ear and she abandoned her post to follow the dragon back to Florian's bed. After several long minutes of tending to his wound, she seemed satisfied that Florian was simply a whining child. "You'll live, human. Sit up and have something to drink." She waited for Florian to return the water skein she passed to him before getting back to her feet. "I'll return to the children."

Lorelei gave his thanks to Ninhursag as she left the room, focusing on Florian's somewhat cross-eyed face. Florian remained silent for a long time, staring at the floor between the two of them, before finally whispering to Lorelei, "I tried to be a good father. A good husband. I couldn't even be a good friend." He lowered his aged face into one shaking hand and pressed his palm firmly against his watering eyes. "I know I've messed up my entire life. I just wish the damned wizard would stop throwing it in my face. I want to atone, Lorelei, but I can't..."

The silver slowly slid onto the bed next to Florian, wrapping an arm around him and pulling his shaking body against him. "Florian, you have to let this go. You've punished yourself for years and there's nothing left to gain from it. Whatever lesson you were trying to teach yourself you have either learned or won't get in this way." The doubt prickled at the back of his mind, but he silenced it to focus on comforting his friend. "Your son has forgiven you. Rather than focus on what you lost, enjoy what you regained. There's still time for other pieces to fall into place."

Rather than comforting Florian, it seemed Lorelei's words left him with more pain than he had struggled with moments before. He pulled away from Lorelei's embrace and shakily stood from the bed, cradling his injured arm with his damp hand. He shambled to the nearest wall, leaning against it and choking back sobs. "I'm so sorry, Lorelei. I'm so damn sorry."

When Lorelei rose and tried to touch Florian, the man slowly slid down the wall and crumpled at the dragon's feet. Any attempt the silver made at speaking with him or helping him to his feet was met with resistance and words that tumbled from his lips like desperate pleas to a captor. The more Lorelei tried to comfort him, the stronger Florian's sobs shook him and in the end Lorelei apologized and left him alone to his devices. As he shut the door behind him he could still hear the weeping on the other side and the doubt in his mind all but screamed for him to face the reality that Florian had traded his life for Sascha's.

With no proof, he could not place blame on the old man's shoulders. And though he felt a rage unlike himself bubbling up within him, the weeping on the other side of the door calmed the storm and reminded him that, no matter what, he loved the miserable old fool. Without evidence he would hold his tongue and should Florian confess, he could deal with those violent emotions then.

Left with nothing to do, Lorelei wandered back outside and stood gazing out at the sea. It took only a few minutes before his feet carried him down the shore and he silently allowed himself to aimlessly wander. After an hour had passed he found himself standing at a familiar stretch of shallow water and beneath the surface was Ferreus' cave. He hesitated, staring at the gently lapping waves, before slowly making his way forward. The water welcomed him as he submerged himself up to his waist, grasping tightly onto the rocks above him in order to not be dragged under. Taking a deep breath, Lorelei lowered his head and forced his eyes open to peer into the darkness. All he could see was an unending tunnel that disappeared in the murky water within. Resurfacing he pondered if there would be anything to gain before finally giving in to the temptation and releasing the stone above him.

Fully submerged in the sea and fighting the fear that flooded him, he swam deeper into the tunnel without knowing how far it went. The darkness swallowed him leaving no hint of the sunlight he'd left behind. When he felt that he was losing the battle to hold his breath he found a rise in the stone that allowed him to catch a quick breath of air before continuing into the void.

The second time he paused for air, a foul stench hit his nostrils that left him feeling instantly ill. It reminded him at once of the corpses pulled from the wreckage of the ships Ferreus had tossed up on the shore. Though he moved forward in spite of it, he still felt nausea growing and was thankful that, for the moment, the water blocked the scent.

The tunnel leveled out, allowing him to stand on slippery stones. Cracks above him let in thin rays of sunlight that illuminated the pearly white skeletons of hundreds of corpses. Unable to contain himself, Lorelei turned and wretched into the sea. Clutching the stone walls for support with one hand, the other clenched his churning stomach. The stench was inescapable in this confined space. Most of the bodies were fully skeletal, but there were plenty that still had meat clinging to their bones that wriggled with the excited bodies of innumerable sea fleas feasting on the rotten flesh. Lorelei had imagined many things that might have awaited him in Ferreus' lair, but a horde of dead was never on his list. Even as he fought the waves of nausea, he realized he needed to get these bodies to shore for burial. Now that he knew what lingered below the sands, he had the weight of responsibility nagging him to do the right thing.

He struggled to stand on tiptoes without sliding into the waters below in order to take in a deep breath of fresh air from the cracks in the stone. Without Mordenkainen here, he would have to make the attempt at pushing back the water himself. The smell left him feeling dizzy, a sensation exacerbated by his worry of attempting two of Ferreus' abilities in one day with no rest between the spells.

After struggling back and forth with the worry and the desire to do right by the deceased men next to him, he finally gave in and began trying to command the sea. It felt unnatural and strange and, in his mind, he heard the chuckle of Ferreus as he made the effort to push back the water in order to clear the tunnel. By the time the water began to recede, a strong pain had lodged itself behind the silver's eyes and he felt the faint drip of blood from one nostril. Working quickly, he grabbed hold of the nearest bodies and began moving. Without the water impeding him, he was able to quickly travel down the tunnel and dump the bodies at its entrance. He wasn't ready to begin hauling them onto the shore, wanting to get the difficult portion over with so that he might never have to smell that foul odor again.

The longer he took to move the bodies, the more his nose dripped. The front of his robes sported red splotches as the blood dripped down his neck. He tried to move faster, uncertain of how long he could hold back the tide. It felt like an hour had passed before he realized he could not do it all at once. With only a fraction of the corpses removed from the cave, he began the arduous task of pulling them ashore. As he moved the third body he heard a voice yelling to him from down the beach. Even from a distance he recognized Gabriel but he had no energy to call out to him. He gave a quick wave before disappearing from sight to grab the fourth body.

Gabriel reached him, clasping his hand tightly over his nose and mouth as Lorelei withdrew the sixth corpse. "Oh my God...how many are down there?"

"A hundred or more." Lorelei slowly lowered himself back down, "I can't get them all."

"Mister Lorelei, wait." Gabriel had noticed the blood but Lorelei was already ducking out of sight again to grab another body. "Lorelei! Let's get the mage, he can help you."

Lorelei didn't respond, struggling with the seventh body. He finally managed to bring it ashore and saw that Gabriel was already running down the beach in search of Mordenkainen. Without pause, Lorelei continued his work, feeling slightly lightheaded. He had finished his task by the time the two men returned and he collapsed on the shore beside the pile of men. His bleeding nose thankfully prevented him from inhaling any more of the disgusting stench. Mordenkainen's judging gaze loomed over him, shaking his head as he regarded Lorelei.

"Get up. You aren't finished, are you?"

Gabriel, eyebrows furrowed, appeared at Mordenkainen's side. "Ya can't be serious. Do ya not see his nose? How much worse is that going to get if he continues to push himself?"

"He needs to practice with these powers and learn to control them," Mordenkainen snapped without looking at Gabriel. He extended his hand to Lorelei, "Get up. Try again." Gabriel open his mouth to argue, but Mordenkainen cut him off. "You called me here to help, did you not? I am doing it my way."

Frustrated, Gabriel took a step back and resigned himself to silence as the silver grasped Mordenkainen's hand and felt the old man haul him quite easily to his feet. "I can help you to breathe under water, but I want you to push back the waves. My spell is simply to ensure you don't drown if you can't maintain control of the sea dragon's magic."

Lorelei nodded, wiping the blood off his face even as it continued to slowly drip. He eased himself into the water as Mordenkainen cast his spell. He lowered his head into the water to test Mordenkainen's claim and found that he need not seek out the ability to breathe. His journey back down the tunnel went faster than the first time and as he reached the end he focused on the image of the waves being pushed back, the tunnel clear and dry, and smiled with blood trembling on his lips as the sea submitted to his command. He gathered the bodies once more at the end of the tunnel and slowly passed them up to Gabriel on the shore. Together the work went faster, but the taste of metal grew strong in Lorelei's mouth and he felt his grip on the sea slipping.

"Concentrate, Lorelei." Mordenkainen called down to him.

Lorelei would have retorted, but his exhaustion left him silent. As he felt the water slowly pooling around his feet he suddenly realized what the wizard meant. He was so focused on his own physical exhaustion that he was losing his focus on holding back the sea. With this in mind, he turned his thoughts on pushing the waves back and the water at his feet abated. It then simply became a balancing act between focusing on not losing his footing as he moved the bodies and on pushing back the sea whenever he felt the water dampen his toes.

Mordenkainen seemed pleased as Lorelei passed more bodies up to Gabriel who looked slightly sick from the smell. After several more trips and over an hour of time passing, they had managed to withdraw half the corpses from Ferreus' lair. As Lorelei struggled with the tangle of skeletons at the back of the cave, a small glimmer of gold caught his attention. A ray of light shone gently across a gold wedding band still affixed to the skeletal hand of a man in the back. Lorelei worked to reach this particular corpse with curiosity and once dislodged he felt his heart sink. He recognized the ring as the match to Adelaide's own from years ago. The engraving of their initials shimmered on the inside, clearly visible without flesh hiding it from sight. He gently pulled the remains out and set them aside, ignoring the tears mixing with the blood as he moved the remaining corpses to the end of the tunnel.

He took Florian's father out last an hour later. His body ached, his arms sore from the labor he was unaccustomed to, his head pounding from a headache he didn't expect to leave him soon. As he stumbled onto the warm sands he let the waters rush back into the tunnel and out of sight. Gabriel reached out to take the skeleton from him, but Lorelei shook his head. "This one is an old friend."

They journeyed to the village together, Lorelei bringing up the rear with Adelaide's husband in his arms. Gabriel parted ways with them to gather several men who had finished their jobs with the fish and have them follow him back to the shore to collect the bodies. Those that remained retrieved shovels and began searching for unclaimed spots of land to dig. One man approached Lorelei and asked if he needed assistance, but the dragon simply shook his head. "Leave a shovel for me at the Old Graveyard. I'll handle it myself."

The man disappeared to do as asked as Lorelei turned to Mordenkainen. "I need you to bring Florian to me. He may not be well enough to walk unaided."

Mordenkainen pulled out his pipe, eyes scanning the sweaty and bloodied face of the human visage before him. "I have been far too helpful today. Now you're going to expect generosity all the time."

"Please, Kainen." Lorelei opened his mouth to say more, but the wizard was already walking away.

"Yes, yes. I'll escort the drunkard." A trail of pipe smoke followed the wizard out of the village and to the cave as Lorelei wandered down to the Old Graveyard.

Gently, he laid Adelaide's husband down beside her tombstone and retrieved the shovel set aside for him. He dug through the pain in his shaking arms and wiped his sweat away with the damp sleeve of his robes. By the time Florian and Mordenkainen reached him, he had finished digging and was leaning against the shovel for support with its blade buried deep into the earth.

Florian's eyes were red from tears, but his face was dry as he stood beside Mordenkainen. He stared numbly at the freshly moved earth before moving his eyes over to his father's remains. "He still has his ring."

Lorelei nodded, releasing the shovel to stand on his own. "Never took it off. I left it there so you could decide what to do with it."

The old man fell silent, staring at the skeleton that he could find no connection to. "I know I'm supposed to be sad, but I feel so empty."

With an annoyed sigh, Mordenkainen took his leave and the two men let him go without comment. Lorelei reached up a hand to rub dried blood off of his top lip, waiting for Florian to make a decision. At long last, Florian staggered over to his father and slipped off the ring. He turned the gold band over in his fingers several times before slowly holding it out to Lorelei. "I want you to take this. Decide what fate is best for it."

Lorelei almost refused, but then he recalled Sebastian and Sabine and willingly plucked it from between Florian's fingers. He slid it in a pocket and moved to finish the burial. Florian stood dutifully to the side watching as Lorelei filled the grave over the remains. The suns were setting and a chill slowly made its way over the land. How had the day passed by so quickly? When the plot was filled, Lorelei set the shovel aside against the fence and watched Florian's face as the man stared down at the ground.

"I think it hurts, Lorelei, but it's hard to know for sure. Everything hurts." His voice came so low it may have not existed at all. Lorelei moved closer to Florian but the man instinctively backed away. "I think I'll stay here for now and try to figure out what I'm feeling. I'll meet you at the cave later."

Lorelei took his time returning to the cave knowing what awaited him upon his return. The final night of his grotesque dinner. Had he overdone it today? Would he be too weak to handle Ferreus when he consumed the heart for the last time? Mordenkainen stood at the entrance to the cave and motioned for Lorelei to join him rather than enter.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he lowered his pipe.

Lorelei closed his eyes, leaning back against the stone. "Exhausted. Should I wait?"

Mordenkainen put the pipe between his teeth, silent as he considered the question. At long last he shrugged. "I leave the choice to you. You did a lot today in regards to using magic previously unfamiliar to you. I think it would be unwise to stall, but would understand if you chose to wait until tomorrow."

With his eyes still shut, Lorelei breathed in deep and held the scent of the sea mixed with pipe smoke in his lungs before slowly exhaling. "It's like you said, let's get it over with. The faster the better."

The wizard smiled with the pipe dangling from his mouth and nodded in approval. "Do you want to wait for the others or shall we go ahead?"

Lorelei hesitated, briefly worried at the idea of having no one there to restrain him, before remembering he had managed to not only break free but to injure everyone but Mordenkainen in some way. After a long pause, Lorelei opened his eyes and pushed himself away from the stone. "I'm ready now."

They entered the chamber alone with Lorelei feeling confident until he stood before the frozen heart. He gazed at the portion that remained and considered all the ways this could fall apart and that this might be the last time he was himself. He rested one hand on the ice but didn't transform it right away, instead thinking of everything he'd done with his life and trying to decide if he was proud of what he'd managed to do with it.

"Kainen?"

The wizard came to his side.

"Promise me you'll kill me if I am not strong enough to resist." He let his hand transform. "I have already hurt these people in ways I can never truly mend. Just promise me you'll prevent me from doing any further damage should I fail."

Mordenkainen inclined his head, "You have my word, but you won't fail."

The mage's certainty brought a small, sad smile to his lips as he melted the protective layer of ice. As his talons closed around the chunk of muscle, he watched the entire ice casing melt away to nothing and leave a puddle on the floor before him. "Thank you."

The last of Ferreus' heart slid down easily, as though the final action of it brought the silver dragon peace that it was finally over. There came a moment of pause, where the air felt still around him, until his vision slowly faded out. The muffled voice of Mordenkainen replying to him faded until his ears rang with the emptiness of this place.

Lorelei was unsure if he had fallen unconscious or if he were still standing on his feet, but he was certain of the dread slithering along his spine. His vision in the darkness shimmered strangely as he tried to peer through what seemed like water. The salt should have stung his eyes, but it felt comfortable and soothing instead. He felt his body moving slowly across what he could only assume was the ocean floor. Like monoliths in the distance, he took in the sight of splintered masts emerging from the ocean floor among the wreckage of sunken ships. Beautiful vessels snapped effortlessly in half littered the floor like some forgotten city surrounded in seaweed and coral. Barnacles clung to their hulls in patterns that left Lorelei wondering if the ocean were trying to speak to him.

As he wound between the ships, his heart swelled with pride. He had done this. It was a feat no one else could accomplish without great struggle and he yet had done so with ease. His laughter shook the waves of the sea above him as he gazed upon his mighty works. Years of destruction at his doing left him with a sense of hubris only he alone had earned. Lorelei felt his grin stretch impossibly wide across his face as he circled between the ships, but somehow he felt a nagging in the back of his mind that this was not right.

Weaving between twisted sails and sliding effortlessly across cracked keels brought a strange memory swimming up to the surface. It didn't feel like it belonged to him, and yet something in his mind desperately clawed out to reach for it. A memory that had him standing on the deck of a ship in the form of a man, helping someone carry their books while carefully stepping around puddles of ink and bits of broken glass. The soft feather-like hair and the gray eyes of a human he felt his heart yearn for. What was his name?

_Sascha._

The name shot through his thoughts like an arrow and sent him careening into the twisted up remains of a topsail. As he struggled against both the ropes and the thought of this pathetic human man, he felt the clawing at the back of his mind begin to win out. Lorelei remembered clearly sharing tea with Sascha, stealing kisses in the dark, desiring to keep him safe above all else. Whatever sense of pride he had felt moments ago fled him and left him feeling sick and guilty instead. This pride was not his own and he rejected it.

But then the memories snuffed out. The ropes holding him fell away and he found himself alone at the bottom of the sea. Not a single ship in sight around him and instead the passing of various beautiful fish whose scales shimmered even in this darkness. He felt somehow strangely small as he moved towards a small, blue light shimmering in the darkness ahead of him. He felt pulled to it without being sure why. He felt no fear as he gazed down on this small little seed that did not move with the tide as the plants around it did.

As he stared at the seed its light intensified, reflecting in his eyes, before he felt himself caught up in a whirlwind of images. What stuck out most plainly was the image of a young man surrounded by a multitude of wriggling red strands. The strings moved at his command, shooting off in various directions and leaving chaos and destruction wherever they went. Worlds extinguished in milliseconds as they were casually smashed into one another or the strands wrapped around them and choked the life unceremoniously from them. A human-shaped creature with brightly shining green eyes smiled as a storm swelled behind him. The whirlwind grew with every moment of destruction unfolding. The whispered "Urdun" on his lips sent a shiver through his small body, but left him yearning for the man to speak again.

The images faded and the glow in his eyes diminished. At once, he greedily wrapped his small coils around the seed and tried to claim it for his own. If not to gain those abilities for himself, but to instead simply see the images again and again. However, try as he might, the seed refused to submit to him. He spent the days of his youth visiting the seed for long hours at a time, gazing at its glow and begging that it might show him the images once more. The seed, however, remained silent and unyielding. As he grew into a large sea dragon, he pulled down ships one after another to protect his seed from prying eyes. The wreckage spanned the floor of the sea but perfectly concealed the seed from those who might try to take it for themselves. If he could not take it, he could at least protect it. It would remain his treasure lying in the ocean that belonged to him alone. He sent the fish away, ordering them to never return to his waters. He could not risk them making off with his one connection to true power.

From time to time, he found himself trying to pull at the seed. Hoping that one day it would budge in time. With continual tugs of his coils, he learned that they seemed to simply slip away before he could attain a firm grip. As his form and his power grew over the passing of time, he tried to move the seed with his magic, but even the ocean could not dislodge it from where it rested.

Slowly, a fear that felt to not be his own crawled into his mind. Even as the greed overpowered him, he felt the nauseating sensation in his stomach that this wasn't right. Somewhere deep down, he did not long for destruction or to attain such horrifying power. If anything he longed to hide the seed deep out of sight so that none might see what it contained and so no one could take it for themselves. Again, the piercing sensation shot through his skull as he remembered standing in the cave with his friends and seeing these images for the first time. These were not his own memories and he could not succumb to them.

Almost at once, he found himself at the top of the ocean with his head breaching the waves. His golden eyes scanned the shoreline with disgust at the creatures in the fishing village. He longed to crush them in his coils, to have them submit to his power beneath the waves, to watch them die weak and alone. His anger only grew as the days passed and he watched a traitorous dragon walk among them, treating them as equals. In the back of his mind, something itched annoyingly. The dragon seemed familiar to him, somehow, but he couldn't seem to figure it out.

His disgust overpowered him and he sought out ways to make mankind suffer at his command. Calling up the memory of the man he'd seen in the seed, he pulled down their ships and reveled in the dying gasps of the drowning victims. It pleased him watching the younger dragon use his incredible strength only to achieve nothing. To watch him willingly hurtle himself into danger to the point of nearly exhausting himself to death in his waters as he tried to save these miserable creatures. His wrath covered both the humans and this silver fool like a suffocating wave and he would not abide their existence any longer.

Yet, as his eyes watched the silver dragon's plight, the annoying scratching in his mind became a painful ripping that tore open a hole enabling true memories to pour in. His battle against the sea in the darkness as he tried desperately to find even one survivor. How his heart broke knowing that, on the docks, the people anxiously watched and waited to receive even a sliver of good news. His body had given out on him and he returned to the docks empty-handed. Unable to find even the energy to pull himself ashore, two men fished him out of the water and he collapsed onto the wood in tears. The wrath in his heart replaced with guilt and with sorrow and he pushed aside the feelings of misanthropy. These were not his true feelings and he would not allow himself to dwell in them any longer.

Nearly at once he found himself caught among violent waves. His body moved swiftly as he shot through the seas like lightning, dragging down one ship and then another. Though he found himself desiring to leave one ship remaining so as to go home with false hope, he could not resist. His insatiability left him unable to hold back as he brought them down like dominoes. One by one they sank to the depths, protecting his seed from sight like all the others before them. It was easier, somehow, to realize this was not himself. He shunned the gluttonous acts and reclaimed his mind even as the memories began to fog over and carry him off once again.

The ocean surrounding him was calmer. Though surrounded by sunken ships, there seemed to be fewer of them. The gentle blue glow of the seed captivated him and a sense of yearning moved over him in waves. Though the seed did not show him anything more, his thoughts raced with the memory of the man who controlled the threads before the storm. As he recounted the calamity of the vision, he thought back to the storms he had created that had pulled down the ships near him now. Though the storms had been strong, none could rival that which he remembered being shown by the seed before him now. The things he had achieved with his abilities were mere drizzles in comparison to the majesty of the thread wielder.

His snarl felt too large for his face, causing a prickle at the nape of his neck, but before he could ponder the sensation he was overcome with resentful longing. Moving at speeds unexpected of a serpent of his size, he wrapped around the seed and began to tug at it but, as it had always done, it remained firmly in place. A cry escaped him that was a mix of anger and disappointment, and he collapsed upon the broken wooden boards and sand beneath him. His envy was overpowering, and yet somehow felt strangely unfamiliar. With great effort, he pulled himself away from the covetous thoughts and focused on that prickling sensation instead. Who was he? Though this felt so familiar to him, it felt at once incredibly foreign and wrong. Both could not be true -- he had to remember.

He wanted to hide the seed. To keep it safe?

No, to hide it and protect people from what it contained. The power it held didn't seem safe.

His eyesight faded, blurred by the water as though his eyes were not meant to be viewing the world this way. His vision cleared as he emerged from the depths and gazed upon the sleeping form of a silver dragon atop the mountain peaks. Below him on the shoreline were dwarves setting out equipment to begin work anew the following day. Beneath the waves, his muscles tensed in preparation, his coils slowly stacking upon one another as he readied to strike. With only one dwarf left behind, he shot forward and grasped the leg in his teeth and yanked him backwards towards the sea. The screams sent shivers through him, though not of fear, but of pleasure. As the others began shouting to their people for aid, Ferreus tossed the dwarf in his teeth to the sea where he sank like a stone. He would have enjoyed toying with him longer.

Though the events felt familiar and correct, the way he saw them did not. Were these not his eyes? Had he really been tied down to the mountainside? The eyes of an angry old dwarf, hair partially red but overcome by gray, stood over him with a gleaming axe and the gaze of a man whose eyes were formed purely to watch his life bleed out. He bellowed to the skies the name of the dragon who slept so deeply, "LORELEI."

The name echoed in his mind: Lorelei.

As he focused on it, it felt like his mind were being violently shaken, and the pain alone made him wish to stop. Though he tried to ignore it, the echo resonated with him on a deeper level than just hearing it spoken. It was a name that meant something.

Taking the place of the angry dwarf was an old human, silvered hair tied into a topknot with his arms casually folded behind his back. The long beard tinged silver rested against dirty white robes but the silver eyes that gazed down at him were strong like the mountain he was tied to.

"Cease or be dealt with."

Even as his mouth formed the words, he felt a sharp stabbing pain run through him like a lance. "I WILL NOT YIELD." Something was wrong. He felt his body lurch forward, mouth wide open, snapping at the old man who shifted into a silver dragon as he dodged the attack. The bonds holding him fell away like snapped twine rather than sturdy ropes. He shot down the shoreline after retreating dwarves who were making a break for the human fishing village. As he passed over them, his tail swatted some into the sea and curled around others and tossed them in further from the shore where they could never return without aid. With each scream, the shiver ran down his spine again and the smile grew wider.

A new pain struck him as the silver dragon landed bodily upon his neck, digging in and holding on with back talons while the front ones ripped aside shimmering scales and his teeth sank into the muscle. He felt roars escape his throat as he shook the young dragon off and, once freed, bolted for the fishing village. They took to the skies as the young dragon caught up to him. While they both resorted to swinging wildly at one another with their tails, it was pleasing to note that even a strong attack from the silver felt like being gently pat on the side whereas a single swing from himself nearly knocked the silver out of the sky.

His mouth opened wide, circling the silver, laughter crashing over the young dragon like ocean waves as he spewed torrents of sea water over the wings of the struggling Lorelei. He could barely keep aloft under the cascading salt water, but somehow managed to remain in the air to fall upon the wound he'd begun making over his heart.

With every injury he dealt the young dragon, his passion grew. The young dragon cried out without shame for every crushing blow, but never went down for more than a second. Always he came back to face him and take another beating. It was overwhelmingly pleasuring to him to be part of this. Though he had battled other creatures before, this wyrmling was the only one to present a challenge.

In time their fight led them to the forest where his teeth clamped onto an elven woman. As the blood ran over his tongue and the screams caressed his ears, he allowed himself a moment to close his eyes and give in to the lust of the moment. These were the sensations that brought him the most pleasure and joy. Every scream of pain, agony, and fear was mere foreplay to him and feeling the elven woman go limp in his maw as the life left her body brought him overwhelming ecstasy.

His mind fought against the craving. No, no, no, the idea of it was revolting to him and yet he was struggling to shun it. Rather than push it away in its entirety, he tried to replace it with something else. Anything else. Though the memory came fuzzy, he was able to recall the face of the human. Older now. Gray eyes more somber with time, but still enchanting in their way. Pushing the man against the side of a building, his claws digging into the wood as they kissed. How they curled into bed together and got lost in one another for the night until sleep took them over. This was real. This memory was his. Though he knew it to be true, the taste of blood still soaked his tongue.

In his brief distraction, the silver collided with him. Rolling across the grass. Roars from both dragons in their fury and their desperation, both wyrms afraid of dying and losing it all here in the fields. He could feel the small talons of the silver slice his fins to ribbons, pull apart the exposed flesh on his neck and expose his beating heart, feeling muscle ripped away as easily as fraying rope. Fear overcame him and a rush of adrenaline gave him enough energy to shock the silver with bolts of lightning directly into his chest. It gave him the time he needed to pull himself from the grass and try to return to the skies. His body was failing him. In a strange way, he wanted to give in to the tiredness that clung to him. Yet the urge to survive was stronger than his weakness and he sent strong gusts of wind and blinding sheets of rain to hinder the silver's progression.

Lethargy. It hit him like a wave. He no longer had the energy to go on and, even if he did, he no longer had the strong desire he'd had before. In his moment of weakness, he felt the silver exit the storm he'd sent behind him and fall upon him. Though he instinctively roared and flailed, he couldn't feel any true fight in him. He writhed as the talons went at once to work on the open wound and began widening the gash he'd made. What was once just a portion of exposed heart was now half. He squirmed beneath the dragon, but the grass beneath him was so inviting and, though he knew it was his own blood, it was warm and comforting. This wasn't so bad, was it? Unable or unwilling to push the dragon off of him, he felt the silver's teeth sink painfully into his heart and begin yanking it out of his ruined corpse.

As the heart came free, Lorelei felt himself again. He stood in the expanse of darkness and waited in the silence. Several seconds passed, turning to minutes, before finally a painful thump in his chest brought him to his knees. Another thump. He was on all fours, tears coming unbidden in his eyes. Lorelei rolled onto his side in human form, pulling his knees to his chest as the third thump of his heart rocked him. He felt a strange and unfamiliar sensation begin to spread through him. Though he'd never felt cold in his life, he slowly came to understand the chill that Florian and Sascha spoke of when they touched him. It started at his heart and trickled slowly through his body as though someone were slowly pouring the icy sea into his torso. It left his abdomen feeling clammy and cold inside, though outwardly he was sweating profusely. In his pain and his fear, he felt a growing urge to simply close his eyes. To rest.

_Languish here, Lorelei._

Yes. He could do that. It would be so simple. The weight pressing into him felt, in time, like a comforting blanket rather than an oppressive force.

_Give in to the weight of the sea. Give in to the weight of the storm._

The icy water began to slip down his throat, trickling like a gentle spring, but it soon cascaded into his lungs. Every breath became a gurgling gasp and Lorelei's hands gently wrapped around his own throat as though he could staunch the flow from there. Even as he felt the salt water drown him, he barely moved anything other than his own trembling fingers. His body shook from the chill that spread through his veins and settled in the marrow of his bones, yet his brow remained fevered as warm sweat trickled down his neck.

_You're eroding._

Suddenly Ferreus was present, coiled loosely around him, peering down at him with glimmering golden eyes in the darkness. He did not seem prepared to fight, instead casually watching with a serene expression.

"You are eroding away to nothing, wyrmling. My waves have crashed upon the rocky recesses of your mind for roughly a week and already you are crumbling in my sight."

Lorelei was unable to speak, but his fading mind slowly began to agree with him. He let his trembling fingers fall away, letting his arms relax at his sides as his body gave in to tremors and his teeth chattered against each other in his skull. This was it. All of his hard work for nothing. The people would have to rely on Mordenkainen to save them -- there was no one else left with enough power to do anything to protect them.

His eyes gently closed, surrendering to the waves flooding his body cavity. The gentle movement of the tide washing back and forth across his organs. He felt the waves pounding against his mind, washing away the memories of all he'd experienced over the years. Holding newborn Adelaide and watching her wed, holding her son and watching him reunite with his own years later, drinking tea with Sascha over his maps and kissing him goodbye on the shore. He remembered the faces of his people in times when they were at peace, at times when fear kept them away from the ocean and when devotion to family forced them back onto it, and their hopeful faces when he returned from the battle with Ferreus. He remembered the graveyard as it extended beyond its original fences. He remembered Karina's ill-placed anger and her broken heart and her false sense of strength as she tried to lead her people by stealing from others to keep them going. His thoughts fizzled out as if forgetting a word in mid-sentence. Memories would break off even as he was reminiscing and he would be unable to fill in the blank left behind. He was forgetting himself. Even his own thoughts were eroding away with him.

"You now know how disappointed I was in you, wyrmling. I knew you were strong and it disgusted me to see you waste it on those pathetic creatures." Ferreus slowly slithered in circles around him, watching Lorelei shiver beneath him. "I would have killed you either way. You stood between me and my seed. Even if you had not defended the humans, I could never risk someone else coming in to take what belongs to me."

Despite being unable to speak the words, Lorelei thought it funny that Ferreus felt he had any ownership of something he was unable to even touch. Though he had not spoken aloud, it seemed Ferreus could still hear his thoughts and suddenly the large serpent's head hovered inches from his face. The large fangs were exposed, mouth wide, as he roared at the silver in rage.

"It belongs to me! It revealed itself to me and though it does not bend to my will, it has also never left me. One day I will meet the Great Wyrm who controls the strings and will worship him face-to-face. He will teach me and I will join him in destroying these worlds forever."

As Ferreus spoke, Lorelei's fingers twitched at his sides. _What a childlike dream... A shame you will never attain it._ The trickling in his throat decreased, becoming mere water droplets instead that slid slowly and harmlessly down his throat.

The coils around Lorelei moved a little closer, the look in Ferreus' eyes shifting from serene to enraged. As he circled Lorelei, shouting things he couldn't be bothered to pay attention to, he felt his memories slowly returning to him. Florian's face as he sipped the tea Cerise had made, Sascha's chapped lips forming a smile when pulling away from a kiss, Adelaide's excited young face as she learned to speak his language, the excitement of the children in the cave as they saw fresh fish for the first time, the cheers of the people learning of Ferreus' demise. Suddenly, he was able to lift his arms and he used them to push himself over onto his stomach, looking away from the sea dragon who was circling him faster.

The serpent's words blended together, seemingly unimportant, and Lorelei focused on himself. With his hands braced against an unseen floor, he pushed himself up into a crawling position and from there into one of kneeling. The chunks of ice that seemed to have taken up residence within him slowly melted away, leaving him feeling gradually warmer. As the cold left him, he was able to better control his body and to move each joint with ease. The damp fog in his head was clearing. He could effortlessly remember every freckle on Sascha's face, the curve of his lips, the way his hair fell.

Lorelei could hear his own voice strongly in his mind and he brought himself to a standing position as the words repeated in sequence. _My soul is my own._ He turned to face Ferreus.

The look of fury in the golden eyes faded into fear, but he continued to scream at Lorelei and cinched his coils to prevent the old human form from moving. Lorelei stood and stared him down, though well-aware he had no means of escape other than his words. He noticed that, though Ferreus was whole and unmarred by their battle, there at his neck was a faint glimmer of blue light where he had pulled out the serpent's heart.

A small smile slowly took residence on Lorelei's face as he regarded Ferreus towering over him. Unlike the other times he had faced him, the never-ending expanse of coils gave him no feelings of fear. With a clear look at the emotion of his eyes in spite of the furious roars, he knew how Ferreus felt. Fighting against him this night alone told him that Ferreus was just as weak as he was, if not more. He had succumbed to the weight of the grave, but Lorelei struggled against it. There was too much depending on him at home, wrongs needing to be set right, people he longed to see again.

"My soul is my own, Ferreus." He held out his hands, palms up, empty. "It is all I have and I refuse to submit."

The coils tightened and Ferreus lowered his head to stare into Lorelei's eyes. "You have already given up. I can tell by the color of your eyes, wyrmling -- that silver gaze is gone forever. No matter what happens here, you will always be connected to me."

Lorelei lifted his hands above his head, the coils finally squeezing around him as he did so. His left hand reached out towards the glimmer at the sea serpent's neck. "We may be connected, but I will always be in control. Yield." His hand shifted, silver talons sinking into the flesh and pulling out the massive heart as though it weighed nothing. He let it drop from his talons as the darkness fell away around him. The coils were gone, he could no longer see Ferreus, and his eyes blinked rapidly until he could clearly make out the face of Mordenkainen kneeling over him. His body refused to respond to his desire to move, either to reach out or to speak, and he felt himself slowly slip into unconsciousness.


	15. Part Fifteen

Lorelei's dreamscape left him at the ocean floor. Darkness encircled him as he sat upon a barnacle throne, tied down with strong strands of seaweed that he lacked the energy to break free of. At first it left him horrified, looking up to see a shadowy serpentine figure circling him in the murky waters of the sea, but as time passed he realized that the sea beast could not reach him. Though he was imprisoned, he was in no immediate danger. In the back of his mind he could hear whispers, but they were so faint they may as well have been the gentle hush of sea foam. As he regained consciousness, the cold ebbed away and the whispers were replaced with the comforting crackle of a nearby fireplace.

Once he had finally awoken, it was to find that he was nestled in a chair in the library with a blanket wrapped around him. Across from him sat Mordenkainen, calmly reading through a book whose cover was written in a language unfamiliar to Lorelei. As the dragon shifted in his seat every muscle in his body protested. A groan of pain garnered the wizard's attention as he looked over the top of his book to see Lorelei wincing beneath his cover.

"Having nightmares?" he lowered his gaze, turning the page.

Lorelei slowly nodded. "Tied to a barnacle throne at the bottom of the ocean."

Mordenkainen chuckled, "Not exactly regal."

They returned to silence as Lorelei realized just how much every part of his body hurt and couldn't be sure what ached from his encounter with Ferreus the night before and what ached from the many ways he'd pushed himself during the day. All that time spent unable to be of use to anyone and now he had returned to feeling thoroughly incapacitated. He resigned himself to feeling quietly disappointed, forcing his body to sit upright through the pain and biting on his bottom lip to stifle the groans.

Lorelei focused on the flames, mesmerized by their flickering dance in the hearth. As the grogginess left him and he stopped paying attention to all the little aches and pains it dawned on him that it was finally over. He was free from the nightly torment of facing Ferreus down and done with the fear of losing himself to madness. It brought a small smile and a fistful of shaky hope to the dragon. Letting himself fall back in the armchair he had almost managed to slip back into sleep before Mordenkainen addressed him, pulling him back to the moment.

"What is your plan from here?" Though he still held up the book between them, from what little of the wizard's face Lorelei could see, the eyes were not reading anything on the pages.

There was so much he had to do. Simply thinking about it caused a pain to slowly spread behind his eyes. As he answered, he moved one hand to massage his forehead, "I need to speak with the elves. Try to establish some sort of agreement or at the very least reach an understanding."

Mordenkainen gave a small nod, "What else?"

"I need to decide how to care for the children." Lorelei paused, his face hidden behind his hand. "It isn't enough to simply keep them fed and sheltered. I need to make sure they understand what happened and how things have changed. To provide an education for them."

The wizard slowly lowered his book, regarding Lorelei with amusement. "And nothing in your plans to be done with your new powers?"

Lorelei pulled the blanket tighter around himself, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "I did not even want these powers. I have no plans for them other than to keep them under control and to feed my people."

Mordenkainen opened his mouth to say something but paused. After a moment of thought, he closed his book and slowly stood from his seat. "I need to know what happened last night after you consumed the last piece."

One golden eye opened to focus on the mage. "Ever the opportunity to learn something new, right Kainen?"

"More than that." The old man withdrew a small pouch that somehow managed to easily accommodate the book he had been reading without looking any larger for it. "We need to figure out what the long term consequences might be from your decision."

Anger writhed inside the dragon at Mordenkainen's words. His decision? As he opened his mouth, the fight went out of him. The anger died in his throat and instead he settled on, "What do you want to know?"

Lorelei expected that the wizard would return to his seat, but as he asked the dragon to tell him of every moment from last night he instead paced the room. Finding this to be distracting, Lorelei spoke with his eyes closed and tried to ignore the sound of the man's shuffling feet across the stone. He recounted the entanglement of his and Ferreus' memories and how it had been difficult to sort out which were were his own and who he was. He shared everything with the old mage with the exception of the little blue seed and the human with the bright green eyes.

Mordenkainen's pacing paused as he took in the information presented him. As Lorelei chanced a glance at the old wizard it seemed that he was aware there were pieces removed from his story. Before he could form a question, a knock came from the entrance. Lorelei rose to his feet, letting the blanket fall across the floor, and went at once to the man in the doorway.

Ignoring the pain it caused him, Lorelei knelt in front of the silver-eyed dwarf and embraced him with a smile. "Sören, I haven't seen you in so many years." his words came muffled from the mass of silver beard hair his face was buried against.

Sören pulled back to regard Lorelei, smirking at the bags beneath the human eyes. "Shoulda' favored a dwarf. Made of sturdier stuff, ya see. Glad you're alive, brother." Unlike their sister who made it a point to dress as close to nobility as possible, Sören seemed content to wear plain looking clothes and instead took a great sense of pride in the adornment of his beard. Though he easily could have worn fine gold and gemstones, he had settled for an array of hand carved wooden beads woven into the silver braids that ran from his chin and down his chest. 

Ignoring Mordenkainen, Sören helped Lorelei return to his feet and led him through the cave making comment on the children running to-and-fro in the entryway. "Never seen the like before. Elves and dwarves gettin' on so well. You're a master of miracles, you are." He grandly gestured at an expanse of wall opposite the hall that led to Lorelei's resting chamber, "Bet ya didn't even know there was a room back there, eh?" With a wink he walked over and thumped one fist strongly against the stone, causing a small handle to appear perfectly at his height. "Hid our weapons and work supplies in here. I imagine it's best not to show the little ones." With another thump, the knob vanished from sight before it could catch the attention of the nearby children. "Plenty more rooms like that in here, but good luck findin' em!"

Together they exited the cave into the bright sunlight that halted Lorelei in his path as he shielded his eyes from the unexpected intensity. He had expected it to be morning, but it was well into the afternoon with a cloudless sky. As his eyes adjusted, Sören walked ahead of him and began speaking with someone. The voice that answered him was a familiar one. When he'd finally managed to lower his hands to view his surroundings he was met with the sight of Eira standing beside three wooden carts. Two were filled with what looked to be birch saplings while the third was carefully packed with large amounts of food.

While his siblings spoke, Lorelei carefully ran his fingers over the bark of the closest sapling and marveled at the tiny icicles that clung beneath the leaves. At his side, Mordenkainen lowered his pipe in the first moment of surprise Lorelei had witnessed of him. Carefully, the wizard reached out to hold one of the saplings in his hands, turning it in slow circles to admire it from every angle. "I have never seen anything like it..."

Lorelei was interrupted from his reply by Eira's shrill yell, "Put that down!"

Before she could violently snatch it out of Mordenkainen's hand, Lorelei stepped between them. "He won't injure it. He's...the studious sort."

Mordenkainen's eyes narrowed, but he did not look up from his inspection of the little sapling. "Studious sort... As if I'm a student and not a master." The words seemed meant for himself but Lorelei smirked all the same.

Looking uncertain but reluctant to push past her brother, Eira resigned herself to keeping a constant eye on the mage while speaking to Lorelei. "Didn't I warn you about putting your snout where it doesn't belong?" She gently pulled him in for a hug, careful for injuries she could not see beneath his robes. "I was so certain you would die."

Sören laughed, causing Eira to pull away and glare at him. "It would take more than a worm to trounce any from our clan. Keep in mind I said _worm_ , not wyrm. The damn snake was no better than fish bait." Sören turned to spit in the direction of the sea, leaving his sister to wrinkle her nose at his display.

Lorelei's eyes moved over the little saplings, counting them in his head. Every single one associated with a family member that he'd chased away years ago for lying to him. "I see they're feeling guilty."

Eira lowered her eyes to the sand, "We all are. Perhaps if we had stayed you would not have resorted to something so drastic."

"Pah! Drastic." Sören scoffed. "If a gold dragon can eat a heart and live there's no reason a silver can't."

"Sören taught me about the other dragons before you." Eira explained. "It was something I had never heard of before. I went to the elder and asked about it and was told to not ask questions about such majick. I can't imagine what you went through."

Lorelei rested against the nearest cart, body feeling weak from standing but also pleased to be in the sunshine. "Snær would hide such important information." he commented with a sigh. "How did you stumble across it, Sören?"

"Ah, no stumblin' whatsoever. Went lookin' on my own. Never've been the sort to blindly accept what I'm told." The dwarven hands proudly stroked his purple-tinged beard. "Went around asking others for stories from before. Gathered the information from several sources across other lands. I wrote down what I could, but there's still so much more to tell."

At Sören's words, Lorelei felt Mordenkainen's attention shift from the plant to his brother and knew he'd likely find a way to contact Sören privately later. To include himself in the conversation, he moved to stand beside Lorelei and held up the sapling in his palm. "What is this?"

Sören spoke before either of his siblings could. "I'm no scholar, but I'm pretty sure that's a plant." A twinkle shone in the silver eyes as he watched Mordenkainen's eyebrows furrow.

Lorelei gently removed the sapling from the mage's hand, "I'm surprised you've never heard of Dragonleaf Trees. They're an old majick, and priceless. I've never seen them before, but I know of them." He gingerly replaced the sapling in the cart, turning to his siblings, "You both made one as well?" They nodded quietly. "Aren't you afraid someone will find out and attack the clan?"

Eira shrugged, long hair sliding from behind her ear to cover part of her face. "Word has traveled fast, Lorelei. As we speak other dragons are whispering about you. These won't be the only trees you receive, I guarantee it."

Lorelei paused and considered her words, "But who spread the news to begin with?"

"It's always an elf, isn't it?" his brother growled. "Eira told me the news when she heard the elves were rioting against the humans. I knew ya were fightin' the bastard, but I didn't know ya planned to take his powers, too."

The gold eyes darted in Mordenkainen's direction, "Oh, it was incredibly unplanned, I assure you."

Sören, noticing the pained expression on his brother's face, motioned for him to return inside. "Let the human tend to the carts. You need your rest." Together the three dragons returned to the cave while Mordenkainen glowered after them.

Lorelei looked back long enough to see that Mordenkainen had not only abandoned the carts, but had picked up the sapling once more and was returning to town with it presumably for study purposes. Though he didn't trust his motives, he knew he could expect the little plant to be returned unharmed. Sören took the lead, wandering the cave as though he were finally home. They stopped at the pub, shutting the door firmly behind them, while Eira slid into the nearest booth and delicately arranged the fabric of her skirt.

While Lorelei joined her, Sören disappeared behind the bar until he managed to find several bottles of alcohol and joined his siblings at the booth they shared. Eira held up her hands at once, shaking her head, "I don't drink. You know that."

"And in my state I should probably refrain," Lorelei said as Sören slid onto the seat next to him.

The dwarf laughed, setting the bottles on the table in front of himself. "I didn't offer either of ya any, calm down." Brute forcing the first bottle open, he began to chug the liquor with no hint on his face that the contents were anything other than perhaps water.

Ignoring Sören, Eira reached her hands across the table to grasp onto Lorelei's. "How are you, really?"

He gently squeezed his sister's hands, smiling to reassure her, "I would imagine the worst is over. I'll be fine." Beside him, Sören was opening his second bottle. "You heard from the elves about me eating the heart?"

Eira slowly released his hands, nodding and pushing her hair back behind her ears. "I never visited, but I often flew by just to check up on you. Watched them plot ways to overthrow you before you even fought Ferreus. Sabotaged a few of their plans before they got off the ground, which caused quite a bit of arguing between themselves. Between the lack of trade with the humans and the lack of trust among their own people, they've become a very different sort..." Her eyes lowered, a small frown forming across her delicate features. "They are not the creatures I once loved. It pains me."

Sören lowered the second empty bottle from his lips, setting it down on the floor beside him and reaching for a third. "Aside from the children, I haven't seen any other dwarves here. Are they up at the mountains?"

Lorelei nodded, leaning back in his seat. "The ones who are left. I couldn't save them all and the others vanished."

"Vanished?" Sören paused in his task of opening the bottle in his hand, staring sideways at his brother. "What happened?"

"I haven't the foggiest." Lorelei let his eyes close, remembering the images from his mental battle with Ferreus the night before. From what he had seen of Ferreus and the seed and from Ninhursag's brief description of the light from the sea, he made the connection and resigned himself to the fact that the dwarven people had possibly been killed by the seed's overwhelming power. "I wouldn't expect them to have survived."

Sören's hand released the bottle, letting it rest unopened on the table and stared numbly at the tabletop. "Did Sindri make it?"

Lorelei opened his eyes, taking in his brother's expression and hating himself for the answer he had to give. "I haven't seen him since the battle started. I pray he's out there somewhere."

The head of bushy silver hair nodded several times to himself, reaching again for the bottle before slowly pushing it away from him. "The people will be lost without him. Was never really official or nothin', but he was the closest thing to a leader they had. Unless someone steps up, they'll crumble."

The image of Ninhursag came to mind as Lorelei considered a replacement. "I may know of someone, but it would take convincing." He spent a moment describing Ninhursag in the hopes Sören would recognize the name, but his brother simply shook his head.

"I didn't interact with the guards much. Favored workin' with my hands or studyin' in the library -- any other time I had was spent traveling and coming back to share what I'd learned or traded with Sindri." He scratched at his chin, lip trembling beneath his beard. "Most of what's in his chamber is from my journeys. You're welcome to keep it. I imagine my blessing to stay in this place is as good as any that a real dwarf could give you."

Lorelei softly uttered a thank you before they lapsed into silence. In the quiet, Sören's ability to hold off on the drink gave out and he reached for the bottle he'd previously pushed aside. Eira's hand closed around it first, placing it next to her in the booth and shaking her head to deter him. Several moments passed before Lorelei asked, "Whose idea was it to send the Dragonleaf saplings?"

"The elder." Sören grumbled. "Tryin' to cover his own ass. Afraid of ya now that ya can actually take him down in a fight."

The idea of Snær fearing him brought a confused jumble of emotions to the surface, but in the end Lorelei settled on feeling satisfied. Recalling the days of fighting him while Florian and Sascha remained behind waiting on him to return home left him feeling less than generous to the old silver dragon. "I enjoy knowing I'll never have to see him in my lands again."

His siblings exchanged looks at Lorelei's words, but said nothing. Though Sören's expression was hard to read beneath the bushy beard, Eira's worried face spoke volumes. Were they as afraid of him as their elder now was?

"How did it..." Eira paused, unsure of what she was trying to ask.

"How did it feel?" Lorelei asked. She nodded slowly, unwilling to meet his gaze. "How did it feel to kill him or to consume him?"

Her eyes closed, "Both, I suppose."

Lorelei had no answer to the first, but knew at once that the only word for eating Ferreus' heart was 'miserable'. After the fight there had been no time for him to process how he felt about the battle itself, but every day that followed had been torture. He'd been so focused on the end goal of survival that he hadn't reflected on how it had felt to actually rip the heart from Ferreus' body.

"You don't have to answer," she finally whispered. "I imagine everything was painful. You have lost so much."

His first thought was that she meant Sascha before realizing his family knew nothing of his love for the human man. Instead she meant his sense of self -- it was the reason she couldn't bear to look into his eyes for too long. "Does the gold unsettle you?" he asked.

Eira jumped at the words, staring up at him with a guilty expression. "I'm sorry, I'm just not used to it."

"You've learned all about this, haven't you?" he turned to his brother. "What's next for me now that I've finished eating the heart?"

Sören shrugged, repositioning himself as he considered. "I would imagine relatively smooth sailin'. You survived the biggest obstacle that only a handful of others managed. Just don't go mad with power and try for a second one, aye?"

Lorelei quickly shook his head, "Trust me. Once was far more than enough. My experience seems to have been quite similar to Altai's."

There was a sharp intake of breath as Sören remembered the tale, shuddering slightly as he reached to pat Lorelei on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, brother. Perhaps humans are sturdier than I thought if ya pulled through that in one piece."

"What happened to the ones who failed?" Lorelei asked slowly.

"Ah." He withdrew his hand from Lorelei's shoulder, moving to stand up. "I don't think ya want to know."

Eira spoke before Lorelei could, "He's already at the end of it. You may as well tell him what the alternative could have been."

Sören busied himself with collecting his empty bottles, "Another dragon tried this a couple thousand years ago. First one since the beginning, from what I was able to gather from the dragons I spoke to. Young, afraid, wanted to prove he could be taken seriously." He strode behind the bar, tossing the bottles into a box beneath it and bracing himself against the wood as he recalled the tale. "The dragon I spoke to was his lover. Poor thing was heartbroken even after all these years. Said that he was the runt of their clutch, often picked on by those older than them, couldn't deal with it anymore."

Noticing the horrified expression on Eira's face, he lifted a hand to calm her, "Now now. He didn't snap and hurt anyone. No need to look so distressed." His eyes lingered on the spot beside his sister where the unopened bottle lay and he finally settled on disappearing into the back for another where he wouldn't have to fight for it. After opening it and taking a swig, he continued. "They found the corpse of a dragon in their clan. Died of old age, I think. Poor bastard got the idea that he could eat the heart in secret and put the others in their place with newfound strength. Didn't matter what she said to sway him, he went for it all the same. Within several minutes of his first few bites his body turned against himself. Ripped his own body apart with his talons while she tried her damnedest to save him."

Lorelei remembered how his own claws had repeatedly dug into his skull during the first few days of eating the heart. It had been the natural response to trying to rip the intrusive thoughts from his head that did not belong to him. Perhaps he would have died after all if not for Magni, Florian, and Gabriel being there to restrain him from hurting himself.

"She still bears the scars from tryin' to hold him down." He made a motion from his eye down to his chest. "Blinded her in one eye, cut her deep to her gut and tried to rip out her throat. She had no choice but to kill him or die. Told me even in his madness he had a new strength to him that wasn't his own, he just couldn't control it."

"Why were you doing so much research on this?" Eira asked, one hand on her stomach as though she felt queasy.

Sören lowered the bottle from his lips, licking them loudly before answering. "I was trying to collect information from our past. Anything the elder didn't want us to know about I made a point of writin' down. Ignorance will get ya killed -- we can't be losin' our history if we want to survive. Being unaware leads to more poor fools like him gettin' killed trying to defend themselves." He lifted the bottle, emptying it, and tossing it with the first two afterwards. "I sought other information as well. I left it all behind, though, in the library. Guessin' you ran across it after the fight and decided to give it a go, though, eh?"

Lorelei shook his head, anger writhing somewhere within him once more. "As I said, it was not a choice I made while fully informed. I only learned of Altai a couple of days ago."

The bushy silver eyebrows knitted together as Sören stood up straight. "That sounds an awful lot like murder to me. Did the person who put you up to it know what could happen?"

It took a few moments for Lorelei to consider if Mordenkainen had been fully informed, but judging how often the mage flipped through the tomes in the library, he doubted if even he had fully known what might happen. If he had, he wouldn't have needed Lorelei to make the attempt. "They did not, but I would suspect they had an idea it wouldn't be pleasant."

His brother began slowly pushing his sleeves up his arms, exposing the wiry silver hair that spanned them. "I'll deck their teeth in all the same."

"Enough, Sören." Eira rose from her seat. "He survived. I'm just thankful he's here at all."

A knock came from the door that caused the three of them to fall silent. In their hesitation, the knock came again and Eira called out, "Give us a moment, please." With a sigh, she moved to sit in the seat beside Lorelei and wrapped her arms gently around his neck. "We love you. No matter how you may change, we are on your side."

"Unless the elder expressly forbids it," the words came without warning from his lips, causing Eira to slowly pull away from him. For a moment she struggled to form a response, but finally she rose with tears in her eyes and left the room entirely. In the hall stood Florian, looking confused as Eira left and staring at the angry looking dwarf behind the bar.

"Shut the door, lad, we're not done in here." Sören called to Florian. There was some hesitation before Florian finally obeyed the request but the lack of footsteps on the other side told the silver dragons that he had not left. "Lorelei, have you tried to use your new powers at all?"

He nodded, slowly moving to the edge of the booth seat. "A few times now. Summoning fish, pushing back the ocean waves -- I don't intend to use more than that unless absolutely necessary."

Sören shook his head, walking around the bar to look his brother in the eye. "No, you need to use them. I didn't write it down, but in the end, Aurous didn't make it. He was so worried about Altai and the struggle she'd endured, he vowed never to use his new powers. Altai thrived because she did."

Puzzled, Lorelei slowly shook his head. "But he encouraged her to use them to save her life. Why did he not do the same?"

"Didn't need to," Sören sniffed. "He had a rather pleasant experience comparatively, but his refusal to keep on top of the powers of the iron dragon he killed let the other mind take over. Tore himself apart trying to stop himself from hurting Altai when she protected the dwarves after he gave in to the madness." Sören stared down at the stone floor between them. "The battle never ends, Lorelei. You'll be fightin' for the rest of your life. If ya don't keep using your new abilities, they'll overtake you in time. Mark my words." He walked away, taking hold of the bottle Eira had left behind in her seat. "I visited Altai's mountains. She's long gone now, but the dwarves passed on her story. They spoke highly of them both. Place still watched over by her kin, but even they said she died with sorrow in her heart watchin' him kill himself to protect her."

Heart heavy, Lorelei hesitated at the edge of his seat. "How often do I have to use them?"

"Not daily, but maybe a few times a week? Ya can't leave it for months at a time. His abilities need to become a regular part of your life or ya won't make it." His eyes darted over to the door. "I didn't tell Eira. Haven't told anyone. Wasn't sure if I should write it down or not. Perhaps I should now that you've reminded everyone that dragons can live through such an ordeal." He paused with the bottle in his hand before finally returning it to the backroom. When he rejoined Lorelei, the old human was on his feet and clutching the edge of the table for support.

"I should probably see what Florian wants," he began, but Sören reached for his arm.

"Listen. We shoulda' been there for ya. I don't expect to be forgiven, but we do love ya. If we can do anything to help in the future, come find us. To hell with Snær, you're more family than that pompous ass." The silver eyes shimmered with tears that refused to fall. "It breaks my heart to hear about Sindri, but at least you're still here. Take care of this place for him, eh? He loved it with every fiber of his bein'."

They embraced one last time before finally opening the door for Florian. Lorelei beckoned him inside as his brother left the room. Florian stared after the silver-haired dwarf, putting the pieces together. "Got your eyes. Family?"

Lorelei decided to not mention that he no longer had silver eyes and instead nodded. "My brother. Did you need something?"

Florian paused, as if momentarily unsure why he had come to begin with. "Sebastian. He came to speak with you about something. Seems really interested in your new house plants." He held out a hand as Lorelei made to walk past him, "You're dead on your feet, Lorelei. Lean on me." He offered his good shoulder to the dragon and smiled thankfully that Lorelei trusted him enough to lean his weight into him.

Together they made their way down the stone hall and out into the sunshine. Standing with Sören as he explained about the Dragonleaf Trees was an excited looking Sebastian who gently ran his fingers over the delicate leaves. In the distance, Eira stood speaking with Magni and Gabriel while passing them bags of seeds from the cart of food. It seemed she was explaining how to plant and harvest each different food item, but the majority of what she said was going over their heads. In the end, the two men led her to the village to explain to those who had made attempts to grow crops in the past.

Catching sight of Lorelei, Sebastian excitedly motioned him over. Still supported by Florian, they slowly moved through the shifting sand to speak with him. "These are so beautiful. I'd love to help you plant these."

It was that phrase that left Lorelei with the realization he had no idea what to do with these saplings. "What was the plan for me to use these exactly?" he inquired of Sören.

The dwarf shrugged, "It was more a peace offerin' than anything else. To be fair, ya are in a weak state right now. Might be smart to put them up around the cave to protect your wee ones until ya can stand on your own again."

Lorelei gazed around the sandy beach and frowned. "These aren't really suitable conditions for such things."

Sebastian gently returned the sapling to Sören's waiting hands. "Oh, I think I can help with that. I'm rather new to it, but I should be able to cover the ground with enough lush grass to help you plant far more trees than this." He glanced over his shoulder at the sea, frowning. "You'll have to do something about that, though, first."

"You want him to move an entire ocean for a few shrubs?" Florian snapped, causing his son to look down in shame. "He can barely walk and you think he should just --"

"Florian." Lorelei's voice spoke firmly to the man pressed against him. "I can do it. I need you to fetch Kainen from the inn, however. It will require both of us."

Florian slowly released Lorelei into Sebastian's steady grip, looking irritable but holding his tongue. "I'll fetch the wizard then."

It hadn't dawned on Lorelei until he watched the man walk away that there would be a tense exchange between the two of them after the events of the other night and he almost regretted having asked him to be the messenger. Before he could worry over it for long, Sebastian called his attention back to the moment, inquiring how far he wished the grass to extend. Together the three of them worked out the ideal layout that would enable the children to enjoy the grass at their leisure while also providing adequate protection from the trees.

"I know Eira said to expect other trees, but I can't foresee anyone else stopping by with something so precious." Lorelei said as he leaned against the cart that Sebastian and Sören were unloading.

"Oh, you'll see." Sören said with a smirk, passing several saplings down from the cart he was in to Sebastian on the beach below him. "Most will be out of fear, I'd imagine. Some out of respect. Some outta sheer curiosity to see if the stories are true and to meet ya themselves. You're going to be a bit of legend, no doubt."

By the time they'd emptied the first cart, Florian and the wizard returned, both looking fully unimpressed with the other's existence but being thankfully quiet in spite of their differences. Florian paused to talk with Sebastian as he took Sören's place to help unload the second cart.

"Dad, your arm..."

Florian ignored the concern, "It needs the exercise. Come on."

Mordenkainen approached Lorelei who slowly moved away from the cart and tried to keep the grimace of pain that crept across his face from being too highly obvious. Neither Mordenkainen or Sören made mention of it, leaving him feeling grateful.

"The drunkard tells me you require assistance?"

"Can you refrain from calling him that?" Lorelei asked, glancing over at Florian who was pretending not to have heard.

"No, I'm rather fond of the pet name." Mordenkainen glanced over at the saplings lined up on the ground. "I take it you're preparing to plant your gifts."

Sören nodded, explaining the plan to the mage who seemed to be intrigued. "I can certainly help with this. I'm surprised you're willing to start casting more of the sea dragon's magic so soon."

The silver eyes met the gold and Lorelei smiled, "I suppose it can't hurt me anymore than I already have been."

While Florian and his son continued emptying the cart, Mordenkainen led Lorelei to the edge of the sea and stopped just short of the waves touching their feet. Lorelei watched the calm waters in the distance and ignored the writhing in the pit of his stomach. At his side, Mordenkainen watched him long enough to gauge his level of fear. "Remember to focus. No matter how weak you feel, the power of the sea is yours now. Thinking anything otherwise will cripple you, even at your strongest."

Lorelei nodded, finding solace in the words more than he would have done had Sören not spoken with him earlier about the gold dragon's fatal mistake. "I'll remember."

Mordenkainen assumed a stance that Lorelei remembered from yesterday when the old mage had stood upon the docks as he rode over the still sea in Gabriel's rowboat. He mimicked his stance, closing his eyes, and focusing. For the first time, the power seemed to flow effortlessly through him. What sounded similar to a massive waterfall crashed in Lorelei's ears as they pushed back the sea in unison. Though he could not see with his eyes, he sensed the location of every drop as it shifted further south. He hoped if another fishing village existed across the ocean that this shift would not cause them harm, but it was too late now. After several long minutes, they lowered their arms and observed the drying sands before them littered with seashells, sand dollars, and strands of broken seaweed.

Behind them, the strong hands of Sören began to slow clap and Lorelei turned to see a beaming smile beneath the bushy beard. "That was incredible!" he bellowed, eyes scanning the new expanse before him. Behind him on the cart, Florian's jaw had nearly fallen in his surprise while Sebastian himself simply seemed strangely unphased.

A strange writhing in Lorelei's stomach gave him pause and he clutched at his side as if to catch hold of something. Mordenkainen's hand reached out to steady him as he swayed slightly on the spot. "Can you stand?"

"I need to sit down, but I'm alright." He allowed Mordenkainen to steer him in the direction of a nearby cart and helped him find a position atop it that allowed him to relax. Moments later Florian was at his side, peering over the side of the cart at him looking concerned. Ignoring Florian for the moment, he instead called over his shoulder, "Sebastian, how long will it take to grow the grass?"

Sebastian lowered the final saplings to the ground and wiped away the sweat that had formed on his brow. "It will take eight hours for as much as you need done. I'll have to bring Sabine back with me to help me, which will be good because it's a spell she's more familiar with than I am." Dusting his hands off on his pants, he walked over to speak more comfortably with Lorelei and the others. "I'll head back and rest up before tonight. By the time you wake up in the morning, you'll have the beginnings of your grove. Just be sure to set out the saplings where you want them because once we're done they'll be full-sized and impossible to move."

Lorelei nodded, extending one shaking hand for the young half-elf to shake. "Thank you, Sebastian. Before you go, wasn't there something you came to talk about?"

"Oh, right..." Sebastian paused, frowning. "It can wait for now. You need to rest and so do I. We can talk about it in a few days. I'm sure it can't have gotten too out of hand in just that short amount of time."

With a few more parting words, Sebastian took his leave while Florian and Sören set out the trees according to Lorelei's specifications. Pipe in hand, Mordenkainen leaned against the cart Lorelei rested in and watched on. "So, what makes a Dragonleaf Tree so priceless?"

Lorelei's eyes watched the two men in the distance circling the perimeter of the cave with the fragile saplings. "They're made by dragons sacrificing their breath weapons for a month. Leaves us vulnerable. The idea of my entire clan giving up something so vital is an incredibly humbling act, but even so I am unimpressed." He looked to the mountains that he had once shared as a home with his clan. "It would have meant more if they had stayed and assisted me."

Several gentle puffs later, Mordenkainen began to move away from the cart. "I'll return at nightfall. I wish to experiment a bit with one of the saplings."

"Can you help them?" Lorelei asked, struggling out of his reclined position.

Mordenkainen paused, shaking his head. After a moment of watching Lorelei struggle he finally offered his free hand to help pull the dragon forward. "It isn't a spell I know. It took a great deal of time to learn how to produce food and water from nothing and even then I did so simply because it proved useful in truly dire circumstances." As he turned to go Mordenkainen stowed away his pipe and then halted. "You asked me to leave after you had finished eating Ferreus' heart, but with the arrival of these trees I feel it is in my best interest to stick around. I can avoid the inner cave, if you like, and limit my visits to your grove."

Lorelei was unable to hide the surprise on his face at the wizard's transparency. "Feel free to use our library, Kainen. As much as I'm sure Florian and the others may dislike the idea, you have been helpful and I'm grateful. Stay as long as you'd like." He expected the wizard to smile and thank him, but the most he received was a curt nod before he returned to the fishing village. Halfway he crossed paths with Eira, pausing to speak with her for a moment before continuing on his way.

After some time away, Eira seemed able to handle looking at Lorelei even if she refused to meet his eyes. She joined Lorelei in watching their brother and Florian set out the saplings and inquired about the plan.

"Florian's son and his lover will take care of the grass tonight." He gestured to the sea behind her, "Mordenkainen and I already handled the sea."

"Wait a moment, Mordenkainen?" Eira's eyes widened. "That old human that was with you was the great mage?"

Lorelei nodded, amused at her surprise. "Trust me -- he may be wise, but he is also quite pompous in exceeding measure."

Eira's face twitched with a fragile smile. "You really have no idea just how much this is going to alter your life, do you? These are all such big occurrences, Lorelei. Your existence will never be a simple one."

"I don't need reminding." He reached out his hand for her to help him out of the cart. "Honestly, I would rather have a few peaceful days to reflect and, perhaps, to forget. The days after my battle have all been rather painful in a myriad of ways."

It took her a great amount of effort, but Eira managed to lock eyes with Lorelei as he stood next to her. "What was the worst part of the madness?"

From the days of being collapsed on the wet stone floor crying in his sleep to the night before with nearly dying to Ferreus' mind, it seemed impossible to choose. His experience feeling chill for the first time in his life was surprisingly humbling, but instead of saying any of these things he simply smiled gently at her and answered, "The maddest thing was putting cold meat in my mouth without flavoring it first. I should have demanded syrup."

Eira's lips twitched several times before she smiled, shaking her head. "I guess you haven't changed after all. I'm glad."

They spent an hour chatting casually while the final saplings were placed. Two circles of saplings circled the cave in its entirety and Lorelei gave his approval of their placement when asked by Florian if anything should be changed. Eira caught Florian's attention and motioned for him to join her at the cart laden with food. Together they moved it back in the direction of the village for Florian to stow away for rations among the people while Sören helped Lorelei return to the reflecting pool.

Settling down upon the cushions, Lorelei felt the weight of sleep pull at his eyes. He struggled against it, trying to focus on Sören's silvered gaze, but his brother quieted him. "Rest for now. We can talk again in the morning." With his blessing, Lorelei gave in and rested.

He slipped into darkness, a chill he had hoped never to experience again washing over him as he plummeted through murky waters. The throne at the bottom of the sea beckoned him, sitting impossibly large in the depths at a size Lorelei could not imagine filling. Tendrils wrapped around his ankles and wrists and bound him to the barnacles. Though he should have fought against them, he allowed them to hold him in place and tried his best to block out the whispers. The serpent in the waves circled him, no more than mere shadow, but occasionally he caught the faint glimmer of a golden eye watching him when its head turned.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to share the story of my silver dragon, Lorelei, and how he is proclaimed both the villain and the hero to a choice he made in his youth. No matter if it was the right thing, it resulted in both the loss and preservation of hundreds of lives but the effects ripple on his whole life through. Yet he maintains his heart and never sways in his goal to spread love and hope and to be a safe haven to those who are unable to protect themselves. I wanted to share the story of the fools Morus and Mora who charge into situations blindly. I wanted to share the story of brave, optimistic Sascha who doesn’t back down from battle when it means protecting the innocent. I wanted to share the story of broken, beautiful Felicie who is trying to hold herself together and learn who she is and what she believes. I wanted to tell the story of the intelligent and loving Sascha Strand who lived his life with passion for what and who he loved. I wanted to tell the story of the evil of a close-minded sea dragon who would not yield to any way but his own; being a force to be reckoned with and a foe that seemed so insurmountable. I’ve not been so invested in characters in such a long time.
> 
> I’ve poured so much of me into all of them. Fears and wants and longing and the desire for power but the recognition of weakness. Please, read my story. Even if it isn’t everything. I’m currently writing more. I’m writing about Felicie and her life in the cave with Lorelei and his children. I’m writing about Lorelei and the original Sascha Strand that the child-Sascha was named after 4000 years later. I’m writing about love and heartbreak, loss and gain, rebirth and destruction. I’m writing my life through these little fiction babies.
> 
> I’ve been through a lot of things the last few years. I was beginning to believe I’d never write again. I didn’t think I could enjoy it. Even if I could, I doubted it’d be anything anyone would want to read. But with this D&D campaign and these characters and my emotions…everything has fallen into place. I care not-so-much of people reading them, but I care that it may help someone to do so. Because being able to relate to a character, no matter the setting, helps you feel less alone. While you never will face down a true sea dragon, you will face down obstacles that seem impossible to take down alone – it doesn’t mean they actually are. It’s that story of making a decision to do something that seems to be the right thing to do and realizing that, in the end, no matter what you chose that there was never going to be a result that was right for everyone. It doesn’t mean you failed – it just means you made a choice. It doesn’t have to be the right or the wrong one, you simply need to accept that you made it.
> 
> I’m in a constant state of anxiety these days. The times I feel less anxious is hunched over my desk scribbling away at drawings of Lorelei and his children or clacking away at my keyboard telling their stories as if they were my own. (And they are.) I have that sense of compassion in me that Lorelei has and also that tragic downfall of making what I know to be the right choice and still having those negative outcomes. I have the optimism and child-like hope of Sascha who wants to protect and save everyone, even with the slowly creeping-in whispers of failure lurking around me at all times. I have the fractured, fragile personality of Felicie who battles her depression and her mania daily. Who constantly gives in to her rage and her bloodlust and who wants so badly to be whole but doesn’t know which way to go to find the pieces she’s lost. A girl who wants so desperately to find an answer that she blames the easiest scapegoat available but fears, deep down, that it really is just all her own fault. I have the foolishness of Morus and Mora who make uneducated choices based on sheer fanaticism alone. I have the determination and longing of Sascha Strand, Lorelei’s old friend and lover from thousands of years ago, who just wants to follow his dream but isn’t sure if he’s strong enough to make it happen. I am the raging sea serpent, Ferreus, who wishes destruction simply for destruction’s sake. To enjoy the chaos and calamity in my wake because at least I have control over it. He is my self destructive tendency. He is my cocky, arrogant nature that goes wild and cannot be tamed until things fall apart. Ferreus simply wants to watch the world burn for his heart is full of hatred. On the days I feel most beaten down, I am the sea dragon, and I loathe it. But I accept it.
> 
> I am all of them and more.


End file.
